A danger Of Our Own
by UglyBeautiful
Summary: Vampires  Shape shifters    Starts out typical Twilight,with a twist.
1. Chapter 1

EPOV

Prologue

I would not let him win.

I would never give into the monster inside of me. Whether or not I have a soul, it does not matter to me. I would not harm this innocent girl. She wasn't a threat or even an enemy. Vincent would not be proven right nor would he interfere with her life either.

For the past three months Forks High, the once mundane gathering place of local average teenagers, had become hell on Earth. A hell I knew I deserved. I could not believe how long it act civilized once again in her presence. Bella Swan, that name was constant in my mindhad taken me to with every needless breath I took. I remember that day with absolute clarity. The day that changed me, more than the loss of my own humanity. She pulled up into the parking lot in an old beat up,red pick up truck and I thought nothing of her. She nearly fell out of the truck as she opened the door and my family and I ignored this. But what I could not ignore was what happened next.

There, about ten feet away from me stood the most unfathomably beautiful creature I had ever laid my eyes upon. She was small in her size, rather pale and soft. She had the deepest brown eyes that seemed to have no ending. A wave of shock went through my body that I had never before experienced. At that moment she met my gaze and she looked, frightened. Then she smiled a smile that went right through me. I tried to gather my composure and smiled back then turned to face Alice.

In that instance the wind blew a heavenly fragrance in my direction. I winced and started to open my mouth wide as i turned back around to see where the tempting scent had come from. It was her. That defenseless,impeccable beauty had won me over in more than one way that morning. Before I knew it Emmet was at my side shoving me into the driver's side of my Volvo.

"Edward! What in the hell was that about? Do you know what you were doing?" he said.

Alice slammed the back door of my car shut and practically shrieked, " Start the car Edward! We need to go home, right now!" I glanced around and made sure my family was all here. the girl I'd been entranced by and saw that she looked very worried. I wanted to ask her what was thinking I started my car and sped out of the parking lot onto the main road.I caught one last glimpse of

When we arrived home Emmet was the first to hit me,punching me on the arm."Edward, stop looking half dead and say something damn it!" Funny I thought we were as dead as we'd ever be." He will have to go away, I am not picking up and moving because of his nonsense. If he's going to act like an animal then let's send him to live with some." Oh no,Rosalie would surely have her say. She gave me a rather hard slap on the face . I growled in response. Edward,you looked so wild. You looked like a Vampire! You even started to growl when you crouched... were you about to spring? What am I saying? Of course you were..You almost killed her! Thank heavens no one else was all people I thought my Jasper would loose it one day. I should have been focused on you more this morning. Carlisle will be..

What was she saying? What had I done? Had the monster come out of me? "Alice, what are you talking about?" E 0..." She didn't need to finish. " Who is she Alice?" "Her name is Isabella Swan, Chief Swan's daughter. She just moved here from Phoenix." Of course, what an idiot I had been! I had heard her name in all of the students minds this morning. The new girl, Isabella. I suppose after tuning out all of their fantasies I had forgotten all about her arrival.

"Edward, maybe we should take some time off and go out on our own. Just you and me." said Jasper. "You know Carlisle will want to make sure your doing the safest thing for yourself. Being here is too risky. Let's just take a few weeks and go hunting, maybe go to Alaska. I know how you feel right now and I don't want you to loose everything you've worked so hard for because of one human."

Rosalie chimed in "Let's not forget we've got enemies here as well that would love nothing more than to see us fail. If Vincent had been there, he'd have made this a lot harder on you Edward."

She was right. We weren't the only civilized "vegetarian vampires" living in Forks. A friend of Carlisle's named Fredrick lived on the other side of town with his makeshift "family", much like our own. Anna, his wife, was a loving woman, and Fredrick was much like my father Carlisle. But their children were not the same. Dalia, Vincent, and Franco were absolute scum.

After returning from my "trip" with Jasper, I went back to school. Luckily I had no classes with Isabella, whom I always heard of now as "Bella". But in the lunchroom and out on the parking lot I still struggled with her fragrance. What a nightmare it was to make it through the day in peace. She often stood next to me in the lunch line and I swear I almost had her instead of my prop of a lunch. There was always rain in Forks, which I'd never minded until now. It wet my mouth with her scent. Still ,after all of this chaos I couldn't forget the way I felt when I first saw her. I went home every day wishing I could sleep so I could dream about more than trying not to kill her.

I pulled myself out of my reverie and started walking into the lunchroom. After months of training myself to be able to handle this, I decided it was time. I was going to talk to her today.

BPOV

Chapter One: The Cullens

It seemed that the entire world revolved around Forks High.

At least it seemed that way to me. The past three months had been the most confusing, agonizing, and lovely that I've ever experienced. When I moved here from Phoenix, I was settled in the fact that this rainy little town would hold nothing of importance. It wouldn't be like my life back home at all. I was so sure of that. But I was only correct about one of those things. It had been nothing like my life back home.

My first day of school, I was ready and dressed slightly early. Not because I was excited or anything, just very anxious to get my class schedule and find my classrooms. I would at least try not to draw the whole "new girl" kind of attention to myself as much as possible. The ride to school wasn't so bad except for the drizzle of rain on the windshield. I guess I'd have to get used to that. When I arrived I found a spot fairly close to the guidance office to park in, and was relieved there there was hardly anyone there yet.

There were about five other cars on the lot. One of which was a nice looking silver Volvo. Standing all around the car were five students looking very pale, and very apathetic. I stared at them for a moment trying to make out there features. But as I was staring I accidentally opened the door of my truck and stumbled right out. Great, I thought to myself. What a lovely first impression. I didn't want to make eye contact but I couldn't help myself.

I glanced around at the group of students by the Volvo and they didn't seem to take any interest in my clumsiness But I took interest in them. They were more than just pale,apathetic teenagers. They all possessed a beauty that didn't even seem real. Every one of their face's were so inhumanly gorgeous, I began to wonder if I was dreaming. Their skin was so faint with color that it seemed to glow and light up everything in their surroundings.I stood there in awe, taking in their face's one at a time. On one side of the car stood a tall,slim, goddess like blond girl with a look of confidence all about her. She was standing slightly behind a muscular,rugged, brown haired boy who's size was kind of frightening. By the trunk of the car stood a tall, blond boy with rather wavy hair who was looking into the eyes of the tiny girl beside him. She had dark hair that was wild around her angelic face. She was staring back into his eyes with such intensity it was as if she didn't know anyone else was around. That's when I saw him. He was leaning against the car with their driver's door still open.

He had noticed me to. He was staring at me with a confused expression upon his gorgeous face. More than gorgeous, he was exquisite. His hair was what seemed to be a medium brown color and was what some would call messy. That is, if his hair had been on anyone other than him. It highlighted his marvelous face and complemented his skin. He had perfect symmetry and his body was no less stunning. He was lean and tall but not the tallest of the boys. He was dressed in a tight fitting gray shirt that allowed me to see he had a muscular physic that was not over done, but just right. As I was looking at him, I noticed my heart had been beating far too fast and had no particular rhythm. My body had been frozen and an electric feeling was coursing through my veins. Then my heart stopped beating all together.

I smiled at him, trying not to seem like some sort of freak. He smiled back at me and I felt my knees begin to shake and my checks fill with next few moments happened so fast I wasn't sure at first if they'd even really happened. The boy who I'd been admiring was on the ground, staring at me like I had threatened him somehow . His teeth were showing and I thought I even heard him snarling. What had I done to him? How had I repulsed him so? I was about to walk over and ask him what I had done,but the largest boy shoved him into the car while the others got into the back seat. The large boy got into the passenger's seat, and they sped away so fast that the Volvo had left tire marks all the way out onto the main road.

I was trembling. What the hell did I do? What if it wasn't even something that I did? What if it was just me? I looked around and saw that no one was looking. I jumped back into my truck's cab and just sat there, horrified. I replayed the scene over and over and nothing made any sense. I sat in my truck until the parking lot was full and made my way to my first class. The rest of the day I tried to concentrate on my school work and forget about what had happened before class.

The next day at school I saw the Volvo again. The blond girl was there and talking with the muscular boy whom looked angry. The tiny girl was there as well but she was standing alone not seeming to focus on were the other two boys? Had i really driven two people insane now? I wanted to go talk to them but I was abruptly interrupted in my thoughts by my classmate,Peter.

"Hey Bella! How are you this morning? You look kind of tired" he said worriedly." I'm fine Peter, I just have a lot on my mind." He threw a glance over at the Volvo and it's owners."You interested in one of the Cullens?" he said smugly. Oh so that was them, the Cullens. Not a very common name."Actually Peter, I was just wondering what they are. I mean! Who they are. They're all so..different." " who actually doesn't know about them. They live jut outside of town with their father Dr. Carlisle Cullen and his wife Esme. The two blonds Rosalie, and Jasper are brother and sister. The other three Alice, Emmet, and Edward are related. adopted them when they were all young so they're very close. They've even paired off,well, except for Edward."

So that was his name,Edward. Just hearing his name kept me longing to know more about him. I needed to see him, to ask him what I had done. I wanted to be near him, I just wanted to know him. But, three weeks went by and he never showed. I was beginning to give up hope that Edward and Jasper would ever come to back Forks High. I looked for them every day in the parking lot and in the lunchroom hoping they'd just reappear.

Chapter Two: Breathe

BPOV

One morning as I parked my truck in my usual spot, not far from the Volvo there they were. All of the Cullens were there that morning. I was so shocked I just hopped out of my truck and ran into the building. I couldn't face him. After all of the anticipation of seeing him again, I was too afraid. Eventually I stopped running into school every morning but not much else changed. He never made eye contact with me, even when I had stood next to him in the lunch line. I thought that maybe he'd want to say something, or maybe I'd scare him off again. But, he just breezed through the line as fast as he could and went to sit with his family.

Two months happened just like that. I was growing sick and tired of the waiting. In calculus one morning I made up my mind. I would rush to the cafeteria as I always had, and I would say "Hello Edward. Just what the hell happened three months ago and why don't you ever look at me?" I would demand an answer and I would even invite myself to his lunch table. We would be friends whether he liked it or not. Not a very calm approach but I would go through with it anyway. I had to, for the sake of my sanity.

When the lunch bell rang I was out of the classroom in a flash. I walked so fast I actually fell down a few times, much to my embarrassment. But I decided to freak out about that later, I was on a mission. the cafeteria was empty except for the presence of the Cullens. Edward was in line as usual right behind little Alice, picking up an apple. I walked up slowly behind him. I moved my lips but no sound came out. I felt so weak. No! You can not let another day go by like this Bella. I thought to myself. Before I could take another breath the sound of his voice filled the quiet room. "Hello Bella.I,um, I was wondering if you would like to do something with me after school? I can pick you up at your house around three, if that is okay." I noticed Alice looking at me wide eyed and curious. Oh my! I hadn't counted on him talking to me! "Sure,that sounds fine, three o clock is fine."I said rather quietly as I stared down at my hands."Great,I'll see you at three your lunch Bella." "Yeah, you too..Edward."

Then he payed for his food and walked away. I stood there looking after him in shock until someone bumped me from behind. "Bella! What are you doing? Your holding up the line!" said an irritated Amy, my friend from English class. "Sorry Amy, I'm just, uh, I am trying to count my money."I lied rather horribly." Well come on and hurry up so we can eat please." I paid for my food and went to my table with Amy, Peter, Cindy, Julie, and Tim. The motley crew of friends I had made here in Forks. I didn't touch my tray of food, and I didn't for the remainder of the school day either.

The final bell rang and I headed to the parking lot. Edward and his family were already driving away in the Volvo by the time I reached my truck. I smiled to myself and started to open the door until I heard a deep voice call my name.

"Bella. That's your name right? May I talk with you for a moment?" the stranger said. Was he a student? I had never seen him before. He was just as pale and beautiful as the Cullens except that he was very different. His hair was black and long, and a little untidy. He was dressed in all black and seemed to be rather tall and thin. He had a red lip ring and was wearing some sort of make up it seemed. But that isn't what made him different. The difference was that the sound of his voice sent chills down my spine and made me feel like running. He looked at me as if he were going to murder me. I felt a veil of heat begin to fall upon me as he closed in the distance between us, and I started to panic. What was happening? It felt wrong, whatever it was. I shut my truck's door and said" Yeah, I'm Bella. And who are you?"

"I am Vincent Mascio. I am a student here. But I am somewhat of an outcast ,so you may not have known that I even exist. I live not too far from here and my brother and sister attend Forks High as well. I know you already know of the Cullens, they're distant relatives of mine you could say. I just wanted to introduce myself, Bella, because I think we will be seeing a lot more of each other." After saying that he began to stroke my face and run his fingers through my hair. Something was wrong, my body was reacting. Why on Earth would I allow a stranger to touch me? I wanted to get closer to him, to be pressed against his body. My mind was telling me not to move, that something was not right. How could I be so physically responsive to this strange boy? He ran a finger down from my collarbone all the way to my navel and I shivered in response." You see Bella, you interest me, and that doesn't happen very often. Truthfully it never happens." He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his hands on my hips. Then he whispered into my ear." What a lovely girl you are Bella, you've no idea. Your driving me absolutely mad."

All I could do was be still. My body was trying to react to him, and my mind wanted to flee from him. I felt my eyes fill with tears as I mentally panicked. He let go of me abruptly and started walking away, but he turned around and said very slowly ,"I'll be watching out for you. Don't you ever forget that." Then he walked across the parking lot, into the woods and vanished.

All around me people were staring, looking shocked and afraid. I opened the door of my truck again, climbed in and began to burst into tears.

An Interlude

VPOV

Days are all endless, no matter how you look at them. Not just for freaks like me who never died. No, not just for us immortals. So many things can happen within one day that can erase the importance of the rising sun. Things that will haunt you for all of your life.

"Vincent!" I heard her shout. iOh my,what have we here. Dalia could not live her existence in peace for one moment without bothering me/i. "Yes my dear sister. How may I help `you?" I sighed with much hesitation. Dalia actually made me that I am not ever supposed to be. She was a loyal and loving sister, but very paranoid. I somehow bore the brunt of all her anxieties. "Vince, you did it right? That Swan girl, you've got her in your loop? Right?" said Dalia impatiently. "Yes. Not to worry,I did what I said I would. Maybe even a little more, she's very irresistible you know?" I winked at Dalia to give the illusion of a joke. She would not like it if she knew that I was serious."Shut up know why we must do this. The Cullens are a threat to us now, they're no longer just a clan that we despise. Why aren't you showing any little bit of fear? You don't even seem angry?You've always loathed Edward, and now he could really have you 't even you care? You look so...icalm/i!" Dalia had been yelling so loudly that now my whole family was surrounding me.

"Damn you! I know what I am doing. Just because I am not walking around this place in a constant fuss does not mean I do not care. Our lives are at risk, I know this! dear iEddie boy/i and Do not think that I am just slacking off. I secured my position with Isabella, of that I am sure. And I am all too aware of our his family of fools. You do not have to remind me every five seconds!" I shouted.

"Son,she is just concerned for us is all. You haven't seemed like yourself lately. Is something wrong?"Said my father,Fredrick. iYes father, I do not want to have a part in your plan to overthrow them anymore. I don't even want to go back there period! I want to go off alone, but that girl is keeping me here with her mere existence./i I chuckled then grit my teeth and said "No father, I am fine. I just really appreciate my privacy and time alone. Dalia will not let me rest,not even in my own room. It is overwhelming me and I would like for it to stop immediately and without fuss. I would hate to have to use my abilities on someone like iher/i." At that moment my usually quiet brother,Franco, burst into laughter, and slapped his large hands on knees."Superb Vince, superb!" he exclaimed.

With that, Dalia left the room and shot me a look of hatred. I smiled in knew I meant what I said and that thought disgusted her."Vincent, I would just like you to know that we are here for you. We are all in this together as a family. Your father and I love you very much. We accepted you as you were years ago, and we still accept you for who you are today." It figures my mother would find a way to make the moment sentimental ."Thank you. I know that if you all don't mind, I' would like to be alone."

My family sat up from their Indian style positions they had been sitting in on my floor, and left the room. iFinally/i.I thought to myself. I sat up from the chair I had been sitting in and went to lay upon my pointless bed. I stretched myself out along the length of the bed,and even covered myself with a bed was on the left side of the room, with two large bay the other side of the room were my desk,dresser,stereo,and full length mirror. The middle space wasn't very large but my Persian rug made it look quite nice. It was a very quaint room, but I loved it. I began to hum a tune I had not hummed in a very long time, and glanced around my tiny room. My eyes stopped upon the large mirror.I quickly looked away. Golden eyes/i.I hated them. Despised them in fact. I missed the shimmer of the red that my eyes once and fierce. iFierce like me./i I may not have missed the lifestyle that they came along with so much I missed those eyes. I hated anything that made me similar to Edward, and that meant I hated a lot of things. Even my existence.

I felt a smile stretch across my face and I twisted a piece of my hair with my , Edward,Edward. What a fool that boy was. Thinking he could be..happy? What nonsense! I quickly changed my thoughts to something less bothersome to avoid becoming angry. I needed to relax now. I searched for something calm to think on, and there she was again, that girl. Floating all about in my head bringing these odd feelings along with her. One of those feelings was peace. I welcomed that particular emotion and closed my eyes,thinking of what tomorrow would bring. Thinking of iher/i.

Chapter Three: Action

BPOV

As soon as I arrived home I started the water for the shower and stripped myself of my clothes. I felt as if I'd been invaded. Mentally and emotionally. All I could take care of now was my physical self, so I tried to focus on that. I let the hot water fall down my back and ease some of the tense feeling in my shoulders. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried so hard not to think of that face. Every couple of minutes my body would shudder without my permission and h is face was so clear in my mind. His voice,his scent,his...iNO! I am not going to think about all of that right now. I am finally getting a chance to talk to Edward I will not let what happened stop that from happening./i

I turned off the water to the shower,got out and dried myself of. I avoided looking into the mirror until I was sure of my own nerves. I found a light blue top with a neck line that wasn't my usual style and a good pair of jeans, and hurried into them. I walked,hesitantly over to my mirror and night stand with all of my hair and make up products and found that I really didn't look as insane as I felt. I let out a little sigh and glanced at the clock. 2:45.

"Fifteen minutes! Ahh I've got to hurry!" I blew dry my hair in record time,flat ironed a few pieces so that it didn't look to fluffy and put it into a neat looking ponytail. I looked through my make up which I hadn't worm much of since I'd been living in Forks and decided that lip gloss and a little eyeliner liner would do.

My heart was pounding. Since the incident had happened just an hour ago, I hadn't once though of Edward. Even though it was extremely odd that he had asked me to do something with him,even though I'd been waiting all of this time to talk to him. Just what had happened with Vincent? I winced as I thought his name. I felt tears well up in my eyes and snapped out of my silent panic. I breathed two long breaths and hurried down the stairs just in time to hear knocking at the front door.

I opened the door with shaky hands and there he was. The person who had haunted my thoughts and dreams for these these past three months was finally right here within reach.

Edward was staring at me with a questioning look in his eyes and I realized I had probably been starring at him for far too long without speaking."Hi,um, come in", I said in a voice that was somewhat crackly. "Thank you" he said closing the door behind him.

The silence could have truly been cut with a knife. We stood in the hallway just looking at each other for quite a long moment and a new realization hit me. Why hadn't I noticed before? How couldn't I have was the better question. For the first time I was able to really isee/i his eyes. They were a golden color that was so obviously not common I felt stupid for not ever noticing them. I tried thinking of all of the other times I had seen him. What color had his eyes been then? As I thought back to lunch today I realized the were the same then,but the fact that he was even talking to me kept from wondering about them,and everything that happened after school kept from wondering about him at all. Then,other times I remember making eyes contact with him,his eyes were so dark they looked black. But this color was so opposite...Hazel eyes? I suppose I hadn't actually made enough eyes contact with him these past three months to be able to say for certain if something was actually really idifferent/i about his eyes.

"Is there a place where we can sit and talk Bella?" Edward's voice interrupted my thoughts and I felt my heart skip a few beats. How rude must he think I am? Not even offering him a place to sit, and looking at him as if he were an alien. "Of course! I'm sorry. It's just that, I'm a little tried. Maybe even delirious. Follow me."

I led him into the living room and he sat down on the edge of the sofa,not completely relaxed but he smiled a warm smile an me and I sat down beside him. I was just about to offer him some kind of beverage but he cut me off. " Bella, I just wanted to apologize. That day in the parking lot was so uncalled for. I was so rude to have behaved that way, I can hardly believe that I did. Please, allow me to explain what happened. You see, from time to time, I become overwhelmed with school and I just leave. I had some trouble with a few students and I wanted to get away for a while,you know clear my mind. So i just visited some relatives. I know it seemed like you triggered my outburst but it was simply coincidence. I was so ashamed of myself when I came back, that I just tried forgetting about it and tried avoiding you. But I see now that I owe you a proper apology. Please Bella,forgive me? I'd like a chance to start over."

I couldn't speak. I couldn't pinpoint it, but something about that confession felt wrong. No, it felt like a lie. Another part of it was so genuine that I felt myself get teary eyed and my heart beat was racing. I believed that he was sorry, but I knew that I ihad/i been the reason for what happened. I couldn't shake that nagging feeling that there was something,something big he left out of that apology.

"Edward, I forgive you. I was never angry with you or begrudging you or anything. But I know that I was the reason for you freaking out and I want to know why. You can trust me,just tell me the truth." I said, and I inched toward him unconsciously. He seemed to notice and inched away from me slightly.

"Bella, what I am telling you is all that I can tell you. Please,accept this,otherwise there's is nothing left for me to say. Please..."

He looked so fragile and so vulnerable. A complete contradiction to how I'd normally seen him. What could I do? I wanted to push him to answer me. To tell me everything that he was hiding,bit I knew that if I did he would surely leave. And something inside of me ached at that thought and I decided,for now, I'd accept his answer.

"Okay." Was all I managed to say before his phone rang. He gave me a quick smile and said "Thank you Bella. I don't deserve your forgiveness,but thank you." Then he pulled out a slick black phone from his pocket and flipped it open. "Yes,Alice. What? That's strange. Tonight will be my turn then. Yes,see you then." Edward snapped his phone closed then turned his full gaze completely upon me.

I felt my insides flutter and all I wanted was to be close to him. It was an urge,so natural,and so instantaneous, that I had to bite my lip and grasp my hand on the sofa to keep from going insane. What was wrong with me? What was I feeling anyway? I had never liked a guy before, but I didn't like Edward did I? That word seemed so,minuscule.

"Can I offer you something to drink?"

"Thank you, but no thank you. I'm not at all thirsty Bella."

The way he said my name made me smile and without seeing my face, I knew that I looked,stupid. For lack of a better word.

"I was thinking that maybe would could go for a walk,if you'd like."

"Um, I could use some fresh air and we'd better take advantage of the fact that it isn't raining today. So that sounds great to me."

I walked to the hallways closet and grabbed my black jacket and noticed that Edward wasn't wearing one. "Hey I know it isn't raining but it is still kind of cold, it is October." I said, waving my finger up and down in the direction of his upper body.

He chuckled." Oh,I did forget my jacket. But I'm sure I'll be fine. Ready to go?"

"Whatever you say,and yeah I'm ready." He walked over to me and followed me out of the house. I locked the front door and when I turned around Edward was so close to me that I stumbled back upon the door and felt my face get hot.

He instantly looked apologetic and held my arm as if I were falling and said "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine,I'm just clumsy and uncoordinated. No harm done" I said with my voice,yet again cracking and I held up my hand to keep him from worrying further.

"Would it be alright if I held your hand so that you don't stumble? I'd like to walk into the woods a little and I wouldn't want you getting hurt."

I smiled widely, and instantly said " would be great!" He smiled a crooked smile back at me and took my hand for about a split second.

I winced at his touch and at the removal of it. His hand felt like it was freezing.

He looked at me with panicked eyes. Somehow I knew that if I reacted negatively things would not go well. I needed to play this cool and not ask much from him until he was ready to open up to me. I got myself together and said in the most casual tone I could muster up " And you think you'll be fine without a jacket." Then I winked at him took his hand and we made our way off the porch and into the woods across the road from my house.

I tried not to tremble from his ice cold touch,or to stare at the look of horror on his face.

Chapter Four: Reaction

EPOV

Why hadn't she ran off screaming? What was wrong with this girl? If she were normal,or sane, or at least had any common sense she would have ran back inside her house and hid in a closet at the touch of my skin. She would never have even accepted my offer for a walk. The bigger question was what was wrong with me?

Everything that happened was so out of my character not to mention so completely foolish! I would never touch a human if I could avoid it and here I was offering up my hand to this girl and feeling as if ti were completely normal. That was the problem. I was beginning to feel things, things I couldn't understand let alone ignore. I would have to talk to Carlisle later but for now I needed to act like everything iwas/inormal. And be thankful that this girl,was obviously not completely sane.

She had been leading me around through the forest for a about ten minutes as I panicked mentally and then collected myself. I needed to be verbal.

" I am sorry, I know I'm a little,cold. I went home today and forgot my jacket before leaving and throwing a ball around with my bothers. I didn't want to be late to see you and I decided that my body temperature wasn't of much importance." I lied smoothly. Not that the jacket would have changed anything. But she didn't know was, I was so nervous about seeing her that I forgot not only my jacket but my good sense as well.

"No problem. It's not bothering me. So where do you want to go in here anyway?" She said much too casually.

"Just a little bit further,there's a nice area where the Willow trees make a kind of canopy, though we'll have to sit on the ground. I hope that's okay."

She laughed, and my ever still heart felt a little more alive.

"I'm not usually a nature girl,but I'll make an exception for today."

Then I laughed and we proceeded to walk in silence until we came to the Willows. She let go of my hand with a smile and I was all to thankful. We sat down just underneath the canopy of the trees in the cool mist of the silent forest. Bella tilted her head back with closed eyes and sighed deeply, seeming to forget that she wasn't alone. She opened her eyes and then turned to face me. Her cheeks warmed and I ignored the fact that her blood was sizzling all throughout her veins. I knew her heartbeat was rapid and in this isolated forest her scent was calling my name.

i

NO! I will not loose control! She does not deserve to die, and I don't want her to!/i I repeated that over and over until I thought I could speak without an edge of frustration on the tone of my voice. She was staring at me curiously without a hint of fear in her expression. Though I could tell that she was intuitive enough to know something was wrong with me. She wasn't stupid, but certainly not sane.

"Bella I'd like us to be friends. I, don't usually do this sort of thing. You know, hanging out,making friends. But I want to be you friend. I can't tell you why I just do. If you'd rather me leave you alone I will understand,but I wanted you to know that I would like to get to know you."

"No! I mean, I don't want you to leave me alone. I would like to be friends. I mean that Edward."

I wasn't shocked at her answer but I was shocked,and happy to hear the honest passion of her tone.

"I must admit, I haven't a clue at how to begin getting to know someone." I said sheepishly.

"Well I suppose, it's a natural kind of thing. You spend time with the person and in time you will get to know enough about them that everything just feels natural. Asking questions doesn't hurt.

For instance, what are your hobbies?"

"Well,I read often. In fact my room looks sort of like a library . I play piano and write my own music. I suppose I have a lot of hobbies,but those would be my favorite."

"That's amazing! I can't play a single instrument. I have always wanted to learn but yeah, the uncoordinated thing doesn't help."

We laughed together, and it felt so good. We continued talking until sundown about ourselves,our interests,our backgrounds(for me that was a put together story) about the future,and anything and everything that we could think to say.

"It's dark Bella, should I be getting you home?" I asked,hesitantly. I didn't want to leave her, but I knew I had to meet Alice in an hour.

" Your right, Char- er my dad will be home soon and I should be getting dinner ready,like I told you I like to take care of him." She said.

I took her hand and we walked back to civilization,away from the comfort of the forest, and I tried not to think of the way she trembled from my touch every so often.

When we reached her doorstep I didn't know what to say. Thankfully,she saved me from agonizing over my words.

"I had a great time Edward. I guess I'll see you in school,and maybe we can do this again tomorrow." I saw that she had to work up a little nerve to ask this and if I could I would have been blushing.

"Certainly Bella. I had a wonderful time today. I'd love to hang out again tomorrow." I said nervously. We exchanged smiles and said goodbye.

I turned to walk away, and stopped dead in my tracks when I heard her gasp aloud and fall to the ground. Almost simultaneously, my phone rang and something told me it was Alice.

I ran over to Bella and found her unconscious. I picked her up and cradled her in my arms. Then I ran with inhuman speed in the direction of my home.

Chapter five: Danger?

EPOV

"Carlisle! Something has happened I don't know what happened but she was on her way inside and she it, Carlisle I don't ! No one else was around, I have no idea what triggered .."

"Edward,remain calm son. I will examine her, but I suggest you leave the room until I am finished. All will be well son,please do not panic." He had concern,and confusion thick in his voice.

I layed her upon the exam table in Carlisle's office and went into the hall just outside the door. I sat there with my head in my hands trying to come up with possibilites for what might have caused this.

What was happening? One minute I'm saying goodbye, the next I'm carrying her unconcious body to my home. What would the others think? Alice was the only one supportive of my interest in Bella. Rosalie was the one that was vehemetly against it,and everyone else just didn't say anything. Except Carlisle and Esme,they just wanted me to follow my heart. As if I had one to follow.

None of them had even been around when I entered the house with her. Where were they? Alice must have seen this coming,she did call me at the exact moment that Bella fainted. But she didn't have any other visions about Bella. Maybe she was focusing on us while she knew we were together. I would find out soon enough.

But right now what mattered was letting Carlisle examine her and make sure that she was okay,and safe. She NEEDS to be okay,I thought to myself. She HAS to be.

The opening of the office door pulled me from my reverie and I stood to my feet immediately.

Carlisle came out and closed the door softly behind him, frowning just slightly.

"Edward, the girl will be okay. There is no obvious damage to her body, except for a knot on her head. I can not find any internal or external reasons for what happened. It is possible that she may have been under stress, I do not know as I do not know her. But it is hard to make assumptions without any sign or a trigger. She was awake, about five minutes after you left the room, and I told her who I am. She nodded and when I asked her questions about what happened she said she couldn't rememeber. I completed my examination and she fell asleep towards to end of it. But.."

"But what father?"

"There was something definately off about her. She looked like she wanted to say something,but she didn't. It's just a feeling that I get...we will need to talk about her Edward. Especially if she is going to be a part of your life."

"I know, I know. Where is the rest of the family?"

"In the basement. Alice had a vision and when she told us,Jasper,Emmett and Rosalie started shouting . Alice told me that you would be needing my help and that herself and the others should get out of the way. It was an awful sight here for a few moments too long. I agreed and told them all to wait for me in the basement."

"Of course,they would be so selfish. They will never accept her. We are only friends, but I feel so much more about this girl. What if in the future things change between us and we take things a step further? How will it ever work?"

"You will make it work. If she is what you desire then I have no doubt in my mind that everything will work out somehow. I am here for you son, this won't be easy, but now that you have your mother and I."

I smiled at Carlisle who was truly, my father and decided at that moment that I would protect Bella fro as long as would be possible. Carlisle walked away, down the stairs and headed to the basement. "I hope they have calmed down some" I heard him think. Then he opened the basement door. Emmett's shouting was the loudest of them all.

I decided to go see her and get my mind off of my family. Bella looked so peaceful while she slept. Her eyelids were closed so tight that I wondered if maybe she was really awake. But the sound of her deep breathing assured me that she was anything but. She seemd to be completely fine,minus the knot on the side of her head, just like Carlisle had said.

I suddenly felt foolish. How was it possible to feel such a strong pull to this girl? I barely knew her. Today had been out first time spending time together and well, it ended badly. But before that things were going so smoothly. She even held my hand. Could she accept me if she knew what I really was? I shuddered at the thought and took her hand in mine. She didn't wake up which surprised me and her body didn't shiver.

I leaned in towards her face,closed my eyes and kissed her gently on her cheek.

I breathed a sigh of releif when she still didn't wake up and decided to let her rest. I walked from the room and closed the door gently behind me.

Chapter six: Realization

BPOV

His kiss was as sweet as his words. I felt his lips on my cheek long after he left the room and decided that I may never want to leave this room. If only I could have been closer to him.

I don't know why I pretended to be asleep. Maybe because my head was spinning with the memory of what had happened not long ago, or maybe because I was terrified. I decided that both were probably true.

I needed to figure out what had just happened to me. How was he still doing this to me? Vincent,what was he? What did he want from me? It all happened so fast...

I was saying goodbye to Edward and al of a sudden, Vincent's face was before me like a halogram and he was doing it again. The same thing he did to me in the parking lot and had done to me even after I arrived home. He made me want him. To want to run to his side,lock myself in embrace and do whatever he would asked. He made me forget about feelings, and become filled with impulses that weren't my own. He made me lifeless in those moments that he had me, surrendering to him without choice. And as quickly as he invaded my mind,and my body, that's as quickly as he left. Leaving me feeling hopeless and having to struggle to remember who I am. The worst part was that I couldn't tell anyone. I could sob,and scream,and panic. But if I even attempted moved my lips to speak his name aloud I was silnced,my mind would shut off and for a moment I would forget that even existed. I am sure the same would be true in any scenario of me talking about him.

I wept silently to myself and decided to go find Edward. I would forget Vincent,for now.

As soon as I opened the door there he was,looking worried and happy all at the same time.

"Bella, I'm so glad your okay. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. I guess I was just exghatued." I lied,trying to answer the question is his eyes before he could ask it.

"Well let's make sure you don't become exaughsted again any time soon. Deal?"

"Deal."

If your sure okay I think I should get you home. Carlisle called your father and told him what happened. He is waiting for you to get home,impatiently might I add."

"Oh,Charlie! I'm sure he is freaking out. I hope he didn't call my mother. Let's get going then, I don't want to sorry him any longer."

Edward nodded and led me down the staircase into the living room. Edward's father,the man who examined me,a woman with lovely eyes and a welcoming smile, and the pixie girl Alice were waiting at by the door.

"Bella,My name is Cullen. I don't know if you remember me telling you that when I examined you. This is my wife Esme, and my daughter Alice. The other members of the house are preoccupied at the moment and I hope you will meet them sometime in the future."He was almost as breathtakingly beautiful as Edward,almost.

"I hope you feel better Bella. Just so you know you can call me anytime,maybe I can even start hanging out with you and Edward!"Mused little Alice.

"And you are always welcome in our home." Esme said, in a voice so sweet that it was unreal.

"Yes I remember , Thank you so much for examining me. And for calling my father. I really appreciate it. It would be nice getting to know you too Alice,and thanks so much Esme."

Then Esme and Alice hugged me, Carlisle shook my hand and they disappeared into the house.

"Nice family you have Edward. I've never met such polite people!"

Edward chuckeled and gave me a quick " Yeah they're pretty nice."

With that he led me out of the house and into a sleek looking black car. Probably the most expensive car in Forks.

It was only when we pulled up to my house that I wondered why we hadn't taken Edward's Volvo.

"Edward,where's your Volvo? I mean, is this your car too?"

"No this is Carlisle's car. My Volvo is at home,I decided to use this car instead. It runs much smoother."

Maybe I was over thinking but I thought I saw him flinch at my question just a little.

"Oh." was all I could think to say.

"Should I walk you inside?" Edward said as he started to open his door.

"Just to the door. I'd rather you meet Charlie when the circumstances aren't so,well,serious ya know?"

"Yes,I understand" He let out a soft laugh and walked around to my side of the car. He held the door open for me and offered me his hand. I gladly took his hand as he walked me to my door and watched me go inside, not wanting to take any chances of me falling again I'm sure.

Inside Charlie was asleep with the phone in his hand,curled up in his recliner. I smiled at him and woke him up to tell him I was home and safe. He gave me a little look over and sent me to bed.

That night I dreamed of Edward and only Edward with no interuptions from Vincent,As I would for months to come.

Chapter five: Danger?

EPOV

"Carlisle! Something has happened I don't know what happened but she was on her way inside and she fainted! No one else was around, I have no idea what triggered it, Carlisle I don't know..."

"Edward,remain calm son. I will examine her, but I suggest you leave the room until I am finished. All will be well son,please do not panic." He had concern,and confusion thick in his voice.

I lied her upon the exam table in Carlisle's office and went into the hall just outside the door. I sat there with my head in my hands trying to come up with possibilities for what might have caused this.

What was happening? One minute I'm saying goodbye, the next I'm carrying her unconscious body to my home. What would the others think? Alice was the only one supportive of my interest in Bella. Rosalie was the one that was vehemently against it,and everyone else just didn't say anything. Except Carlisle and Esme,they just wanted me to follow my heart. As if I had one to follow.

None of them had even been around when I entered the house with her. Where were they? Alice must have seen this coming,she did call me at the exact moment that Bella fainted. But she didn't have any other visions about Bella. Maybe she was focusing on us while she knew we were together. I would find out soon enough.

But right now what mattered was letting Carlisle examine her and make sure that she was okay,and safe. She NEEDS to be okay,I thought to myself. She HAS to be.

The opening of the office door pulled me from my reverie and I stood to my feet immediately.

Carlisle came out and closed the door softly behind him, frowning just slightly.

"Edward, the girl will be okay. There is no obvious damage to her body, except for a knot on her head. I can not find any internal or external reasons for what happened. It is possible that she may have been under stress, I do not know as I do not know her. But it is hard to make assumptions without any sign or a trigger. She was awake, about five minutes after you left the room, and I told her who I am. She nodded and when I asked her questions about what happened she said she couldn't remember. I completed my examination and she fell asleep towards to end of it. But.."

"But what father?"

"There was something definitely off about her. She looked like she wanted to say something,but she didn't. It's just a feeling that I get...we will need to talk about her Edward. Especially if she is going to be a part of your life."

"I know, I know. Where is the rest of the family?"

"In the basement. Alice had a vision and when she told us,Jasper,Emmett and Rosalie all started yelling at once. . Alice told me that you would be needing my help and that herself and the others should get out of the way because things would go..well badly with everyone being around her.. It was an awful sight here for a few moments. I agreed and told them all to wait for me in the basement."

"Of course,they would be so selfish. They will never accept her. We are only friends, but I feel so much more about this girl. What if in the future things change between us and we take things a step further? How will it ever work?"

"You will make it work. If she is what you desire then I have no doubt in my mind that everything will work out somehow. I am here for you son, this won't be easy, but know that you have your mother and I. We love you."

I smiled at Carlisle who was truly, my father even without genetics and decided at that moment that I would protect Bella for as long as would be possible. Carlisle walked away and went down the stairs then headed to the basement. "I hope they have calmed down some" I heard him think. Then he opened the basement door. Rosalie's shouting was the loudest of them all.

I decided to go see Bella and get my mind off of my family. Bella looked so peaceful while she slept. Her eyelids were closed so tight that I wondered if maybe she was really awake. But the sound of her deep breathing made me think that I was just imagining things. She seemed to be completely fine,minus the knot on the side of her head, just like Carlisle had said.

I suddenly felt foolish. How was it possible to feel such a strong pull to this girl? I barely knew her. Today had been our first time spending time together and well, it ended badly. But before that things were going so smoothly. She even held my hand. Could she accept me if she knew what I really was? I shuddered at the thought and took her hand in mine. She didn't wake up which surprised me and her body didn't shiver.

I leaned in towards her face,closed my eyes and kissed her gently on her cheek.

I breathed a sigh of relief when she still didn't wake up and decided to let her rest. I walked from the room and closed the door gently behind me.

Chapter six: Realization

BPOV

His kiss was as sweet as his words. I felt his lips on my cheek long after he left the room and decided that I may never want to leave this room. If only I could have been closer to him.

I don't know why I pretended to be asleep. Maybe because my head was spinning with the memory of what had happened not long ago, or maybe because I was terrified. I decided that both were probably true.

I needed to figure out what had just happened to me. How was he still doing this to me? Vincent,what was he? What did he want from me? It all happened so fast...

Deep down I thought I knew what he was. He was something like the Cullens,but the complete opposite.

I was saying goodbye to Edward and all of a sudden, Vincent's face was before me like a hologram and he was doing it again. The same thing he did to me in the parking lot and had done to me even after I arrived home. He made me want him. To want to run to his side,lock myself in his embrace and do whatever he asked. To give myself to him. He made me forget about feelings, and become filled with impulses that weren't my own. He made me lifeless in those moments that he had me, surrendering to him without choice. And as quickly as he invaded my mind,and my body, that's as quickly as he left. Leaving me feeling hopeless and having to struggle to remember who I am. The worst part was that I couldn't tell anyone. I could sob,and scream,and panic. But if I even attempted moved my lips to speak his name aloud I was silenced,my mind would shut off and for a moment I would forget that he even existed. I am sure the same would be true in any scenario of me talking about him.

I wept silently to myself and decided to go find Edward. I would forget Vincent,for now.

As soon as I opened the door there he was,looking worried and happy all at the same time.

"Bella, I'm so glad your okay. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. I guess I was just exhausted." I lied,trying to answer the question is his eyes before he could ask it.

"Well let's make sure you don't become exhausted again any time soon. Deal?"

"Deal."

"If your sure your okay I think I should get you home. Carlisle called your father and told him what happened. He is waiting for you to get home,impatiently might I add."

"Oh,Charlie! I'm sure he is freaking out. I hope he didn't call my mother. Let's get going then, I don't want to worry him any longer."

Edward nodded and led me down the staircase into the living room. Edward's father,the man who examined me,a woman with lovely eyes and a welcoming smile, and the pixie girl Alice were waiting just outside the front door.

"Bella,My name is Cullen. I don't know if you remember me telling you that when I examined you. This is my wife Esme, and my daughter Alice. The other members of the house are preoccupied at the moment and I hope you will meet them sometime in the future."He was almost as breathtakingly beautiful as Edward,almost.

"I hope you feel better Bella. Just so you know you can call me anytime,maybe I can even start hanging out with you and Edward!"Mused little Alice.

"And you are always welcome in our home." Esme said, in a voice so sweet that it was unreal.

"Yes I remember , Thank you so much for examining me. And for calling my father. I really appreciate it. It would be nice getting to know you too Alice,and thanks so much Esme."

Then Esme and Alice hugged me, Carlisle shook my hand and they disappeared into the house.

"Nice family you have Edward. I've never met such polite people!"

Edward chuckled and gave me a quick " Yeah they're pretty nice."

With that he led me out of the house and into a sleek looking black car. Probably the most expensive car in Forks.

It was only when we pulled up to my house that I wondered why we hadn't taken Edward's Volvo.

"Edward,where's your Volvo? I mean, is this your car too?"

"No this is my father's car. My Volvo is at home,I decided to use this car instead. It runs much smoother."

Maybe I was over analyzing this, but I thought I saw him flinch at my question just a little. It wasn't a big deal, it just gave me another one of those nagging feelings. Obviously I knew something was up with the Cullens.I wasn't afraid,but I wasn't sure of what they were either. I wasn't much of a sci-fi or mythology fan ,but I already had a few ideas in my mind. As impossible as it all sounded, when I looked into Edward's eyes, the mythological and fictional worlds seemed to materialize right in front of me. A shiver went up my spine and I shuddered just slightly.

Why was I suddenly freaking out? I knew that something was going on with them long before tonight, didn't I?

I suppose that I suppressed my shock,curiosity and theories because of all that happened since I first laid eyes on the Cullens. I knew they weren't,well,normal. So I guess now with me actually talking to Edward, I would finally allow myself to wonder.

"Bella..ARE YOU OKAY?"

"Yes,sorry, I,um zoned out. Oh my gosh I'm so sorry. I'm just tired." I said quickly realizing that I was lost in my thoughts and Edward had been calling my name for a few minutes.

"You sure your okay, I can always call Carlisle..."

"No! Thank you but I'm fine, no need to bother him."

Edward paused for a moment then said "Should I walk you inside?"

"Just to the door. I'd rather you meet Charlie when the circumstances aren't so,well,serious ya know?"

"Yes,I understand" He let out a soft laugh and walked around to my side of the car. He held the door open for me and offered me his hand. I gladly took his hand as he walked me to my door and watched me go inside, not wanting to take any chances of me falling again I'm sure.

Inside Charlie was asleep with the phone in his hand,curled up in his recliner. I smiled at him and woke him up to tell him I was home and safe. He gave me a little look over and sent me to bed.

I decided that maybe It was time to call my best friend for some advice. I couldn't tell him about Vincent. But I needed some help,and reassurance. Someone to tell me that I wasn't crazy. Who better than the person I trusted most. It didn't matter to me if my theory was correct,I wasn't going to run away screaming,or tell the whole town. But I still needed to know and I wasn't sure that Edward would just volunteer the answers. When I was sure that I was right, I would ask Edward about it. I wanted there to be no secrets between us and for him to know that I accepted him,whether he was human, or something else.

I grabbed my cell phone from my nightstand and dialed my best friend's number.

He picked up on the first ring.

"Bella! Bella! Why haven't you called me? I've been calling, texting you ,emailing, and everything. Are you okay? I'm going to hate you forever if you've replaced me!"

"Oh, Jacob! I've been so busy and a lot has happened. Don't worry though. It was wrong for me to treat you like that, and I know this may not be the best time, but I need to ask you a huge favor."

"What is it Bell?"

"I need you to come to Forks."

Chapter Seven:Jacob Black

BPOV

"Bella,you know I can't go back there. You know I can't tell you why either. Why should I come anyway,you got yourself into trouble? "He sounded so angry,why?

"Jake,I wish you would tell me. I'll still be your friend, no matter what. No, I'm not in trouble. It's just that...I need to talk to someone about something that's pretty private and your the only one I trust. I'd tell you over the phone but there are reasons why I need you to come here. Please trust me Jake."

" At least give me some kind of clue as to what this has to do with Bell."

I hesitated. How do I tell him without telling him?

"I made a new friend, I think there's something up with him. Nothing bad, and nothing that would make me stop being his friend. But, I still want some facts."

"Ooooookay. That's not vague!" He said sarcastically. "What's the dude's name?"

Should I tell him? It's not like he knows him so I guess it's okay.

"Edward,Edward Cullen."

Jake was silent for so long that I thought the line went dead. I looked at my phone and it still said "connected".

"Uhm,Jake? You there?"

"Bella. Why? Why him? Crap! What the hell am I gonna is my dad gonna think?" He breathed,sounding almost frightened. He continued to ramble on some horrible profanities.

But what he said struck a cord with me. He knew who he Edward was, and probably by the sound of it, what he was. And he freaked out,why?

"Jake shut up with all the swearing and tell me why your freaking out! You know him don't you?" I yelled into the receiver of the phone.

"Bella,this isn't going to be good. I know him,okay. I know about him,things I'm sure you've only guessed at. Him and his family of freaks are partly the reason for me leaving La Push and coming here to Phoneix." The way he said the word freaks made me shudder.

"Your coming Jacob. I know you know things,and you've been hiding them from me. Get your but down here asap." I shouted angrily.

"I have no choice but to come,and not because you told me to either woman. Got that? It's time for me to go back home. If your hanging with Cullen, who knows what the hell is going in La Push. I'll be there tomorrow evening ."

And with that he hung up the phone.

Well that wasn't the conversation I was expecting but at least he'd be coming. Even better to know he wants to go back home. Jacob moved to phoenix last year because he said La Push was too much for him to handle,too much drama. Was that the word he used? He moved to Phoenix because we had been long time friends since I was little, even when I moved there years ago.

We met here in Forks thought Jake lived in La push, a reservation. Our dads had always been best friends. But when my parents split I moved to Phoenix with my mom. Jake and I kept up out friendship through email and phone calls. And when he moved there to live with his friend Jason ,we hung out, pretty much every day. Little did we know I'd be coming back to Forks after my mom remarried and things got too weird for me. I wish the circumstances were better, but I was truly excited that I'd be seeing him again.

That night I kept processing things over and over in my mind. Like short films. Edward, The Cullens, my fall,Vincent, the conversation with Jacob. All of it was still spinning around in my mind when I drifted into a deep sleep and then had one and only thought which became a dream, Edward. We was holding my hand leading me through the forests and saying something,really,really fast. I couldn't hear him and he seemed irritated. We arrived at the same place we went to with the Willow trees and then everything went black. I couldn't remember anything about the dream after that.

At school the next day Edward and I sat together at lunch and afterward he and Alice rode me home. He asked me if I'd like to do something but I told him I had to meet a friend at the airport. He seemed a little confused but said he understood and that since tomorrow was Saturday maybe we would do something early in the day and spend the day together. I quickly agreed,we hugged awkwardly and said goodbye.

I wanted to be with him,yes, but I needed some time with Jacob alone. I had a feeling he was going to be a little more than grumpy. And he had better be willing to fess up to what he knew.

Outside of the airport it was raining, of course,and there weren't as many people as you would expect to see at an airport. But, this was Forks so I suppose this was the norm. I saw him soon after arriving and my jaw dropped, and my mouth hung open. Jake...was huge. In comparison to how I'd last seen him, he looked more like a man than a 16 year old hair was shorter,shoulder length and he was at least 10 inches taller. Did guys grow this quickly?

Obviously seeing my reaction Jake tapped my chin and said " Yeah, it's starting already. It was more gradual in Phoenix but since I've been here, it's been more rapid. Most mean that the other are changing too. Come on Bell give me a hug!"

He gave me a huge bear hug and when he finally let me go I could hardly breathe.

The car ride was silent,eerily so. When I dropped Jake off at his house he said he needed to talk to his father and friends and set things straight and that he'd be over to see me in a few hours. So I drove home and made Charlie's dinner,I wasn't hungry.I quickly told him about Jake and then went straight to room to be alone for a while.

Funny how none of the people who had been gawking at Vincent and I yesterday acted like anything had happen. It was as if they had already forgotten. But how? Even Peter one of my new "friends" who had witnessed the whole thing went the whole day without bringing it up. He acted completely normal, which is not the reaction he should have had.

A knock on the door of my bedroom snapped me out of my trance.

"Come in."

There stood Jacob,looking even taller then he had a few hours ago. I tried to keep from gawking and then noticed Charlie was right behind him. He looked worried and shocked. He was staring at Jacob like he was some kind of a freak and his mouth was curled up into a little pout.

"Uhm, Bells. Jake's here obviously. Just thought I'd come up here to tell you to keep your door open with him in here. I don't think he should bei n here at all but I know he's your best friend so..."

"Uhm,dad. Yeah he is my best friend which is why you've got nothing to worry about. But yeah the door will be open."

"Yeah Chief, she's safe around me. Trust me." Jacob said with a little hint of cockyness and gave my dad a little wink.

"Uh-huh" Was all Charlie said then he stomped down the stairs.

Jake sat in the rocking chair in the corner of my room and I sat on my bed.

We looked at each other thoughtfully for a few minutes until he finally said,

"Bella there are a few things you need to know. Looks like I'm gonna be the one to tell you since the leech can't be honest. First things first. I'm not who you think I am. I'm not just me anymore. I've got more in common with the Cullen freaks then you'd ever have guessed on your own."

Chapter Eight: Secrets

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JPOV

Hell. Which to tell her first? How about Yeah,Bells your new bff(my replacement) is a bloodsucking leech! And I'm totally shocked he's even hangin around you. That was something I didn't get. Did he WANT to kill her? Well, with me here now there is no way in hell that will ever happen. Or should I start with I'm turning into a freaking shape shifting wolf! Yeah I've got my own pack everything! That one would really do the trick. If she couldn't trust me, who could she trust? And I'm pretty sure anyone would stop believing a person who told them something that "impossible."

Or maybe the juiciest part : The little enemy clan of leeches to the Cullens,yeah I've got dirt on them. I don't have all the details but, I know they're doing some freaky,creepy, extra weird vampire stuff in that compound they call home. I liked knowing that I had something to hang over their heads there was no way I should give up that little snippet of information. I liked them a little more than I liked the Cullens. Okay, A LOT more. They didn't have anything to do with the treaty but they still kept to themselves and weren't socializing with humans like little Ed seems to think he can do now. Well,expect for when they were using their creepy powers. I've seen Vincent in action. I'm pretty sure that if he has a soul,he's going to hell. And I know that little "experiment" of theirs,woo,boy! That's just...truly disturbing. I'm surprised they haven't been caught yet,well by someone other than me. They've been working on it for ...

"Jake!" Bella snapped at me.

"Hell, guess I have a short attention span. Sorry Bella, deciding on what to tell ya and what I should keep to myself."

She laughed.

"Well,way to be honest there Jake, thought we were best friends. I mean, you sounded like you were about to give me a whole speech then you zoned out. What's going on Jake?"

I decided to tell her the first two things and since the last had nothing to do with her or anyone I knew, I'd keep it to myself. I sighed. Here goes...

"Bella,I'm gonna jump out of the window, count to ten after I do and then jump down." She looked utterly shocked. She probably thought I was nuts,great.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I am,so do it okay,see ya in a few."

I walked over to her window and opened it, ignoring her protests and sting of profanities( which sounded funny coming out of her mouth) and leaped out. I phased in midair and prayed to God that she wouldn't die from shock.

It seemed like time stood still until and I finally felt a light thud upon my now wolf body. Had she actually jumped? Had she actually survived seeing her best friend turn into a wolf? Well damn, that's what I wanted but not at all what I expected.

"Jacob?" Bella breathed into my ear,her voice was shaky. I could feel her body trembling and all of a sudden I wondered why I just phased in front of her. This couldn't go well. I'm such an idiot sometimes. _Oh well. Too late to decide I wanna keep this a secret._I thought to myself.I noded my head up and down hoping she would notice and ran into the woods.

I ran with Bella on top of me for at least ten minutes and then decided I had worked my courage back up enough to face phasing back and talking to her. When I stopped running I knelt down,on all fours, and waited for Bella to dismount me. _I'm so weird,she's gonna bolt the second I'm outta sight._ I thought to myself. Once Bella climed off of me I went behind the nearest tree and phased back. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the shadows.

Bella was sitting on a log with her hands placed very formally in her lap and she was knawing on her lip so hard I thought it might bleed. As I was walking over to her I stepped on a twig which made a loud cracking noise and her head snapped up. Bella looked at my eyes first and then she looked down...

"Ahhhhh Jacob, what the hell ? Get some clothes on!"

_Oh S**t! I forgot my clothes! What the hell am I gonna do now? _I ran back behind the tree and looked around for anything I could cover myself with. I found... nothing. Well, not only was I breaking the news to Bella about me being a shape shifter, I flashed her my man parts too.

"Jake! Here I'm throwing my jacket behind that damn tree. Cover yourself before you come out again. Got It?"

"Sorry Bellls! I'm new to this,kinda. I forgot my clothes. Kinda funny huh?"

"No not really." She sighed then threw the jacket at me and it hit me directly in the face. Guess I deserved as much.

"Hey, why'd you bring a jacket?" I asked lamely.

"Uhm, because it's cold."

"So you didn't freak about jumpin out your window,you just didn't wanna be cold?" I giggled to myself like a girl for a few moments then recovered myself enough and walked back out from behind the tree,again.

"Yeah. Guess I trust you,ya streaker." Bella laughed humorlessly. I could tell she was nervous but she was trying to make me feel like everything was normal. That was so like her, trying to make everyone else okay and neglegting her own feelings.

I walked over to her where she was now standing and looked her in the eyes. I reached my hand out and she took it without hesitation.

"Bella, this is why I left Forks. All of a sudden everyone was changing and I knew I'd be next."

I watched her expresiion. She was scared crapless but she was wearing a mask, trying to play tough.

"I will understand if this is too much to accept Be-"

"No!Jake I'm shocked yes. That word doesn't even begin to cover how shocked I am. You know I get interested in reading about some "impossible" stuff but I never guessed I would be ssing my best friend turn into a wolf. And seeing all of this happen before my own eyes. It's like it's not real."

Bella had been into reading about some weird or as she said "impossible stuff." Faire novels, and Greek mythology used to be all she read. So I knew she would be a little more open to all this then most normal people.

When I didn't answer she said "Tell me more about what happened to you."

I nodded and kept looking into her eyes,waiting for her rejection.

"The week I ignored you before going to Phoneix, this was the reason. The first time I phased, it was, well it was hell. Billy was with me and he tried to keep me calm but I flipped out. I tore down my front door and ran to the beach. I paced back and forth waiting for something to happen. Waiting to wake up, or waiting for some guy to tell me I just got Punk'd. But nothing happened. I ran for three days before I came back to La Push. I managed to phase back to being a human even though I still felt like an animal. Billy,Sam,Paul,Embry,Quil,and Jared were all at the house when I walked in. Sam was going on and on about how I should have just stayed with the pack and listened to him cuz then I would have been prepared. I didn't want to hear that BS. I socked him in the eye,took one look at Billy and told him I was leaving and never coming back. I bolted for the door but the others tried to stop me. I started shaking and they knew I was phasing so they let me go. I went to the Clearwaters and borrowed their phone. I rang up Jason,I told him I had no other place to go and he booked my flight and took me in without I told him about what happened to me and he took it pretty damn well. When you called Bells,I was getting bad. The growing and the weight gain,I thought it would all stop if I left the pack. But I guess my genes weren't havin that."

Bella was still looking into my eyes. She hadn't moved away or flinched once at all during my confession and I was really F*in shocked.

"Jake,"She said quietly." I should have been there for you." She pressed herself against me and started to cry.

"No worries Bells,you had your o [] ][ ]'

goin on. Now the thing that matters is that we're here,and in this here and now, we got problems." bn-0-0

= ]

This made her and I both laugh hyseterically.

I montioned for her to sit and I told her everything I knew about my pack. Even the fact that I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, but hell Cullen was hanging with her and what did he think, that she wouldn't eventually find out. If he could break the rules, so could I. Most of this stuff I had just learned earlier from my bfrief talk with Sam. He was pissed at me for ditching the pack but happy I came back. I told her about the fact that the shape shifting is an inherited gene and all of the other guys =================a=======rmanetely because of it. I told her about hi hurting his fiancee Emily and how dangerous it is to be around an angry wolf. I told her about how the guys phased in front of me to let was about the treaty with the local Vampires.

"Wow." was all she said.

"Big wow." I teased,punching her lightly on the shoulder.

"Hmm. You didn't tell me the reason for it all."

"Yeah I did Bella,its in our genes. Somethign we can't fight."

"No I mean, does something trigger it? You didn't change until just this past year or so,why's that?"

Oh sh*#. She was catching on. _Guess now is the time to tell her._

"Yeah, there's a trigger." I sighed, I was a little nervous about her reaction to this one. She had accpted me but could she accept something even more "impossible"?

"And that is..."

I took her hands in mine again and gripped them firmly.

"Vampires."

Chapter Nine: Waiting.

Part One

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VPOV

"Everything is going so smoothly." I said out loud to myself as I sat looking out of my bedroom window. Letting Dahlia unblock one of Alice's visions was a part of the plan. Letting her see Bella collapse would make her think she had some insight into her life. She'd be less suspicious about not seeing much from her. That's why I made Bella collapse out of the blue instead of doing my usual work. From now on I wouldonly connected to Bella when she was alone , that way there were no short term memories to erase.

I giggled to myself." I really am somethign aren't I?" I needed a little more action though and tonight I was going to get it. Ever since Edward, who was doing a weekly patrol of the area, had seen one of the children entering the trap door to the basement,my father stopped speaking to Carlisle. He thought that surely,they would have gone to Italy by now to give us away, but nothing happened. So when Dahlia and Peter noticed Edward's inetersted in little innocent Bella, she came up with the plan to give us some leverage. They seemed to be forming a little friendship, but it was painfully obvious it would become something much more than that. And that something more is what I'm waiting for. So I can finally hang this over Edward's head.

I wasn't afraid of the tree hugging Cullens ratting us out to the Volturi. Why would they,didn't they want to like,save the world? All this time has past which proves my point even further,the Cullens were no threat as long as they didn't see us publicaly breaking rules.

They had however been taking shifts checking the area around my home and just watching us move about the house as if we didn't know they were there. They were waiting for us to break teh silence, they probably wanting to have a group hug and forget they saw they saw. We didn't bother to speak to them, but I was about to change that. I memorized the rounds they took and I knew tonight was Edward's turn. Time to mess with his head.

I went to the living room and saw my mother cradled in father's arms. She looked horrible,despite being a Vampire. Aside from Peter,she was the most concerned about everything we had going on,but that didn't stop her from plotting with father and the others. Peter still blamed himself for the exposure to our secret. He hadn't been home or we would have known sooner that Edward was all happened to fast for even our extreme Vampire senses to work out.

"Vincent darling,please come here." My mother motioned to me and I obeyed without question.

She wrapped her arms around me and stroked my hair gently. She was far too emotional for the life we led.

"Please be careful tonight,Please son, promise me you won't deviate from the plan. Your just to rouse him up a bit and give the message to him to pass to Carlisle."

Dahlia interupted,as usual.

" Yeah Vince. If your F*&k this up I will kill you myself!"

"Dahlia,we don't use that language! Have some digdnity, I thought you were a lady." My father shouted sp loudly the sound rang in my ears. He hated her attitude,but who wouldn't?

She immediately cowared and fled upstairs.

"He's here brother,go now." Peter whispered into my ear and gave me a reassuring look.

My mother let me out of her embrace and I kissed her on the cheek. I took a look in the mirror, tossled my hair, and headed for the woods.

As I walked to the edge of the woods that bordered our land, I wondered what my family was so afraid of. This wasn't a huge task..or was it? Maybe they were anticipating a fight. Well at any rate I would be victorious.

I smiled slyly into the darkness as I saw his shape begin to form.

Part two

EPOV

The moment I saw him, I froze in my tracks. I was not afraid of Vincent,but for the past five months he and his family hadn't spoken to anyone from my family. None of my siblings or I got along with the Mascio's,except for Fredrick and Anna. But our parents had always been close since the Mascio's moved here two years ago. We know why they stopped contact,but they're making themselves looking even worse by not even trying to explain. My father had said he would not go to the Volturi unless it looked like we or any of the humans around here were in danger.

Vincent and I had never liked each other,he used his seduction and phsycic abilities to reak havok in the lives of girls at schoool. His parents had said there was nothing they could do about him, that he was special but troubled. He did it for laughs,and no one stopped him.

He and dahlia,along with Peter would often skip just on sunny days, but any days they felt like it and somhow they managed to pass all of teir classes with flying colors. Now yes, we Vampires are bright, but the absenses alone should have caused them to fail. Vincent of course used his abilities now and again to work the system but I could always tell that the teachers just plain favorited them. Any time that we interacted,we prentened to be cordial in fron of our parents, but Vincent and I had fought many times, the others didn't get along either.

We didn't know much about Dhlia and Peter,aside from their family history. I have always had the child at their home,and then their silence,I was even more convinced that they had somethign big planned. Bigger than what Carlisle was willing to admt that he thought of it suspicion that they were gifted as well, but they always denied it and their parents always confirmed that they were telling the truth. I still don't believe them. And now after seeing a human all. He said that as long as we didnt find anything outside of their home to be troubling we shouldn't worry. I know he only wanted to protect Frdrick and Anna, but this was wrong. Why would they have a human child there? To make them immortal?

"Eddie Love,won't you please come and speak with me?" Vincent called out sarcastically into the night air.

I cringed silently and stepped out of the trees only a few feet away from him. "Do not disrespect me Vincent,you know I will not tolerate your games."I hissed at him.

"Oh Edddie,please you know I'm only showing you my affection. Please won't you step closer to me? We haven't spoken in so long. I was begining to think that you had fallen upon hard times."

I laughed wickedly and stepped about a foot closer to him. We were so close that I could have touched him now. But I wasn't backing down,he needed to know that he didn't scare me.

"Why have you been ignoring my family? Where is your father? It's him I came to speak with, not you,ingrate."

"Edward! How dare you speak to me like that." He said with mock sadness."My father sent me to give you a message. Won't you care to listen to me a little longer?"

"Say it. Whatever it is,then I'm leaving." I hissed."It's not like I don't know what's been going on here. You can stop preteeding that your decent."

"This coming from the man who stalks me! Oh Edward you don't like to play fair."

Vincent stepped even closer to me, putting his filthy lips next to my ear. His thick black hair was falling all over my face and he smelled of something horrible.

"My father wants to meet your father next week for lunch. He wants him to meet him in Port Angeles at the little Cafe Garden. You know for appearences sake,then he said they shall go for a walk to catch up on things. He would like some privacy, so he decided that being out of forks would be the best way for them to truly get to talk about things."

It took me everythign I had not beat him to a pulp being so close to me. He attempted to seduce even me,and that was just beyond me. He did have some hold one veryone even Vampuires,which was odd. So it took alittle effort to remind myself that he ws the enemy.

"I will tell Carlisle,but he will not go alone. I don't trust you,or your father,not anymore."I nudged Vincent off of me and he took a few steps back. He held up his arms and then put them over his face.

"Vincent, I will not play your gaems! Stop acting like this! Grow up, take what you have left of your humaniy and be man." I growled and my fists shock with each word I spoke. He disgusted me,making a joke of everything. This time he stopped playing innocent and shot me a look I had seen come from him too often. He was done with his playing, now we was serious.

I crouched into a fighting position and barred my teeth,tilting my head slightly to look up at him. He mirrored my movements and withing seconds he had his hands around my neck,and I had mine around his. OUr faces were inches a aprt and we hissed violently and shock eachother's was the one to loosen his hold first.

"Go now Edward,before I kill you. Your just a player in this game,rememebr I will always have the upper hand." He breathed into my face and hsi eyes buldged slightly from their sockets.

I tighetend my ahnds around his neck and said" You are a fool. You are beneath me and my family, I will enevr let you harm them. And right now I am sure it is I with the upper hand. I who could kill you and then take out the rest of your family."

Vincent shuddered wildly and then started to work his way out of my hold,cursing at me itervionesly. I picked him up off of the ground and threw him in the direction of his home. I ran over to where he was laying in the ground and put my foot on his face.

"Do you really want to do this Vincent? Here? Now? With your family watching?"

Vincent struggled ebenath me and I took my foot off of him. He just laye dthere staring at me, boring his eyes into my soul. Before I knew it I was on the ground and he had his nails clawing away at my skin. I tried to shove him off of me but his hold was too strong. I put my lips to his neck and started to bite, but he only mimicked me, ignoring his own pain. That was his fighting technice,and it usually worked.

Moments laters Frdrick was hauling him off of me .

"Enough! Vincent, go inside now! I told yout to pass on a simple message and look what you have done! It is you that's given us a bad name you foolish coward!"He screamed.

"Me,me father? I have done nothing but be obedient. You are the coward. Eevryone will know soon enough."

And with that Vincent fled to his home without givign me another look and Frdrick was spilling out apologies left and right.

"Please forgive me Edward. Had I know he would disobey me I would have sent you this message myself."

"Think nothing of it. We had a minor altrecation,but no harm was done.." Shockingly enough he only scratched the surface of my skin with his teeth,thought I was sure I caused him to bleed some. The blood on my jacket proved me right.

"Yes,well, I'm glad things didn't end badly."Fredrick said,eyeing the blood I had just spotted.

"I will tell my father what you have asked. But, I can not gauruntee he will agree to it. Now I must be going,if you'll excuse me."

I didn't wait for him to reply and I didn't look back as I retreated to my home. I kept thinking about Vincent, about how his face looked when he said those words to his father. I kept thiking about how much I thought what he had said was the truth.

Chapter Ten

Struggle and Love.

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EPOV

The morning after my inceident with Vincent, I was so excited that I would be seeing Bella. It had only been days since we started to actually speak, but I knew that something special was going to come out of this. No matter how wrong I was for her. I sat on the couch thinking about how true my words were. I was sstill significantly attracted to Bella's blood. I hadn't spent much time around her and now her I was going to sped the whole day with her. What kind of life would she have with me?

Alice came in the room and sat down beside me leanining her head on my shoulder.

" Edward, don't worry so much. Bella is going to love you someday, I can feel it. And I know that you won't kill her. I haven't seen it happenening. Then again I haven't seen much happening with her."

"Just as I can't read her thoughts. Well not exactly since you have had a few visions of her."

"Yup. But really, you need to relax. Make this a special day for her. You never know what might happen." Alice giggled.

"You know I want to do this the right way, I have to court her so to speak. Then I can ask her to be with me. If she wants to that is." I sighed again knowing how impossible that would be.

As if to agree with me Rosalie chimmed in,though I hand't seen or heard her enter the room.

"You know it won't happen Edward,why waste your time on some human. You'll ending up having her for or later."

"Stop it Rose! He will not, he cares for her. How can you be do hateful?" Alice yelled at Rosalie. By then the whole family was in the rooom. I didn't have the enery to argue so I left and started my Volvo,then drove to Bella's house. When I knocked on the door she was already on the other side. I laughed silently. Was she as eager as I was?

"Good morning Bella." I said with a smile.

"Morning Edward." Her whole face lit up when she said my name. She was breathtaking. Unfathomably so.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Sure am."

She closed the door behind her and I led her to my car holding open the door for her and when I shut it her scent flew up at me like wild fire. The last time I was with Bella I was too occupied with my thoughts to really,fully be attacked by her scent. Now I was more aware of her and suddenly I felt like a fool.

No! I thought to myself. I will not harm her. I will make this work. I walked around to the driver's side and got into the car. I looked at Bella who was looking at me,looking at my lips actually and I touched the side of her face. She looked away at first,then she looked at me and smiled.

"So what's on the agenda for today."She asked,breaking the silence.

"Well, I have a few things in mind. First I was thinking of going to a book store in Port Angeles,then maybe have lunch at a resturaunt. Then we could come back to Forks and there's aplace I'd like to take you for the rest of the does that sound?"

"Wonderfull.!" She nearly yelled. I laguhed softly and she did the same.

I started driving and turned on one of my favorite cd's. The band was called Keane. The song playing was " Bend and break".

"Hey, I love this band!" Bella shouted." They've got a nice sounds,soothing but still they have an edge. Well as much edge as you can have with a piano."

"That's true. I'm not so much into today's music but this band I really do enjoy."

Bella smiled and then stared out of her window. She looked so deep in thought. Whatever was keeping her mind occupied did so until we arrived at the book store. Before going in, I offered her my hand to help her out of the car. All around us people were staring. I suppose being a gentleman in today's society was a little unheard of.

Bella blushed but didn't falter to take my hand,she held unto it even after we started heading for the store. When we entered the air blew in a light breeze right behind us. It mixed too well with the heat that flowing inside the store and all I could think of was her blood. I put my hand over my mouth and said a quick "excuse me" to Bella and went straigh to the men's restroom.

I eneterd a stall and quickly took deep breaths. What have I gotten myself into? As much as I like her, her blood, it's all I can think of. I quickly took in more air and then stopped breathing in an attempt to clear my throat of the dryness and aching. I felt somewhat better then left the stall. I passed a mirror on the way by. I stared at myself. My golden eyes,my pale skin,my inhuman face. I was not worthy of her. "I will not kill her" I said outloud. " I will make this work.

I exited the restroom and went to find Bella. She was standing right outside the door.

"Edward, are you okay?What happened."

I decided that I would focus only on her. On how concerned she looked for me,how much passion was in her eyes, and how truly fragile would always be.

I smiled." I'm fine. I get a little car sick from time to time,nothing major. Now,let's go find us something to read!" I lied.

We browsed through the history,science,and art sections of the store. Then we headed over to the fiction. Bella immediately spotted somethign and swiped it up off teh shelf with a moving more gracefull then usual. I laughed inwardly.

"What's that?"I asked.

"Oh, it's called, Wolrd of the Fairies ,book seven."

I laughed and said " Your into fairies? I didn't see that coming."

She playfully hit me on the arm.

"Yes Mr Cullen, I happen to love me some fairie books,is that a porblem?" She said giggling.

"Not at all. I'll buy that for you, if you'll allow me. I'll even buy book one for myself,who knows maybe I'll become a fan too."

"No! I don't want you spending money on me like this. I mean, I appreciate it,but please, you don't have to."

"I insist."

I grabbed the book from her and then found volume one for myself and went straight to the chasregister. Thankfully no one else was in line so I was being rung up before she could protest further. When we left the store and started driving to the resturaunt Bella was pouting.

"Are you angry with me?"

"No Edward, I just don't like people buying me things. I can take care of things liek that myself."

"I'm sorry if I offened you Bella. I just wanted to do somethign nice,will you forgive me?" I turned to face her and stroked her face. She blushed and I kenw she would and immediately said '"Yes,no nig deal."

Here in the warmth of tthe car her scent filled ever part of me. My nostrils burned and my throat ached. But I kept thihnking of how lucky I was to have her sitting next to me,actually inetersted in what I was saying. How much I genuinely liked her, and how beautiful she was in every way imaginable.

When we arrived at the returaunt I felt considerablly better and even more optimistic. We got a table off to the side in the back which I was thrilled about. I liked being alone with Bella. I ordered nothing for myself and Bella ordered ravioli and a garden salid. She insisted that I ordered something but eventually gave up. She ate silemtly until she caught me staring at her.

"Got something on my face?"she giggled.

"No, I'm just thinking sorry."

"What about?"

"About how beautiful you are." Oh no, did I just say that? Outloud?

Her face turned beat red and she started biting her lip. I had to grab a hold of the edge of the table for two reasons. One: Bella's blood was calling my name with such force that it took all of my strength not to attack her. Two: She looked so cute that,well it tooka ll of my strength not to the same thing. I took a few deep breaths and centered myself,you can do this Edward.

"Cheesy line?" I asked when she was staring at me looking concerned.

Bella fidgetied with her fork and laughed nervously. "I'm not used to compliments,and well I didn't think that was a line."

" It wasn't" I said reassuringly.

She seemed pleased with my response and perked up a bit.

We continued talking then. About school and family,books,and the food she was eating. We were to in synch. We had so much in common,we were even begining to finishe each other's sentsences. When Bella finished her meal I payed for the bill,which again she was reluctant to have me pay for, but less upset about. On the drive back to Forks I continued playing my Keane cd since Bella seemed to be so fond of it. We never ran out fo things to talk about, but sometimes there was silcen. Not boring or akwrad silcen. But just silence where we enjoyed the moment. I parked my car next to her house and she gave em a questiong look. She was about to speak but I put my finger to her lip and got out of the car and walked around to her side to help her out.

"I'm taking you to one of my favorite places."

"The woods?"

"Shh,you'll see."

Chapeters Eleven and Twelve coming soon,starting with Edward's POV.

Chapter Nine: Waiting

Part two

EPOV

The moment I saw him, I froze in my tracks. I was not afraid of Vincent,but for the past five months he and his family hadn't spoken to anyone from my family. None of my siblings or I got along with the Mascio's,except for Fredrick and Anna. But our parents had always been close since the Mascio's moved here two years ago. We know why they stopped contact,but they're making themselves looking even worse by not even trying to explain. My father had said he would not go to the Volturi unless it looked like we or any of the humans around here were in danger.

Vincent and I had never liked each other,he used his seduction and psychic abilities to wreak havoc in the lives of girls at school. His parents had said there was nothing they could do about him, that he was special but troubled. He did it for laughs,and no one stopped him.

He and dahlia,along with Peter would often skip just on sunny days, but any days they felt like it and somehow they managed to pass all of their classes with flying colors. Now yes, we Vampires are bright, but the absences alone should have caused them to fail. Vincent of course used his abilities now and again to work the system but I could always tell that the teachers just plain favorited them. Any time that we interacted,we pretended to be cordial in front of our parents, but Vincent and I had fought many times, the others didn't get along either.

We didn't know much about Dahlia and Peter,aside from their family history. I have always had the suspicion that they were gifted as well, but they always denied it and their parents always confirmed that they were telling the truth. I still don't believe them. And now after seeing a human child at their home,and then their silence,I was even more convinced that they had something big planned. Bigger than what Carlisle was willing to admit that he thought of it all. He said that as long as we didn't find anything outside of their home to be troubling we shouldn't worry. I know he only wanted to protect Fredrick and Anna, but this was wrong. Why would they have a human child there? To make them immortal?

"Edward,friend,won't you please come and speak with me?" Vincent called out sarcastically into the night air.

I cringed silently and stepped out of the trees only a few feet away from him. "Do not test me Vincent,you know I will not tolerate your games."I hissed at him.

"Oh Eddie,please you know I'm only showing you my my deepest respects. Please won't you step closer to me? We haven't spoken in so long. I was beginning to think that you had fallen upon hard times." he laughed wickedly.

I winced from the sound and stepped about a foot closer to him. We were so close that I could have touched him now. But I wasn't backing down,he needed to know that he didn't scare me.

"Why have you been ignoring my family? Where is your father? It's him I came to speak with, not you,ingrate."

"Edward! How dare you speak to me like that." He said with mock sadness."My father sent me to give you a message. Won't you care to listen to me a little longer?"

"Say it. Whatever it is,then I'm leaving." I hissed."It's not like I don't know what's been going on here. You can stop pretending that your decent."

"This coming from the man who stalks me! Oh Edward you don't like to play fair."

Vincent stepped even closer to me, putting his filthy lips next to my ear. His thick black hair was falling all over my face and he smelled of something horrible.

"My father wants to meet your father next week for lunch. He wants him to meet him in Port Angeles at the little Cafe Garden. You know for appearances sake,then he said they shall go for a walk to catch up on things. He would like some privacy, so he decided that being out of forks would be the best way for them to truly get to talk about things."

It took me everything I had not beat him to a pulp being so close to me. He attempted to seduce even me,and that was just beyond me. He did have some hold one everyone even Vampires,which was odd. So it took a little effort to remind myself that he was the enemy.

"I will tell Carlisle,but he will not go alone. I don't trust you,or your father,not anymore."I nudged Vincent off of me and he took a few steps back. He held up his arms and then put them over his face.

"Vincent, I will not play your games! Stop acting like this! Grow up, take what you have left of your humanity and be man." I growled and my fists shock with each word I spoke. He disgusted me,making a joke of everything. This time he stopped playing innocent and shot me a look I had seen come from him too often. He was done with his playing, now we was serious.

" I am every bit the man you are,and every bit that you aren't,boy."he hissed baring his teeth.

I wasn't afraid of him,but he did intimidate me. We was stronger than he let on and he was relentless with his attacks. He was the perfect Vampire.

But,he struck a nerve with that last line and Ineeded to tend this now. I was done with Vincent and the sickness that poured out of his mouth.

I crouched into a fighting position and barred my teeth,tilting my head slightly to look up at him. "I will kill you Edward,and you will know then who the MAN here is."he hissed at me. Then he mirrored my movements and within seconds he had his hands around my neck,and I had mine around his. Our faces were inches a part and we hissed violently and shock each others was the one to loosen his hold first.

"Go now Edward,before I kill you. Your just a player in this game,remember I will always have the upper hand. Everyone looses their right minds with just a touch from me,I'd like to see you have such power. I can do anything, to anyone I want and they will always want me." He breathed into my face and his eyes buLdged slightly from their sockets.

I tightened my hands around his neck ." You are a fool. You are beneath me Vincent. No one will ever follow you of their own will. Your just a tool. And right now I am sure that I have the upper hand. I who could kill you and then take out the rest of your family."

Vincent shuddered wildly and then started to work his way out of my hold,screaming profanities at me. I picked him up off of the ground and threw him in the direction of his home. I ran over to where he was laying in the ground and put my foot on his face and crouched down close to him.

"Do you really want to do this Vincent? Here? Now? With your family watching?"

Vincent struggled beneath me and I took my foot off of him. He just laid there staring at me, boring his eyes into my soul."No matter what, I will always win Edward."

Before I knew it I was on the ground and he had his nails clawing away at my skin. I tried to shove him off of me but his hold was too strong. I put my lips to his neck and started to bite, but he only mimicked me, ignoring his own pain. That was his fighting technique,and it usually worked.

Moments later Fredrick was hauling him off of me .

"Enough! Vincent, go inside now! I told you to pass on a simple message and look what you have done! It is you that's given us a bad name you foolish coward!"He screamed.

"Me,me father? I have done nothing but be obedient. You are the coward. You are the one tearing this family you made a part. Your are a selfish,foolish man,and everyone will know the truth soon enough."

And with that Vincent fled to his home without giving me another look and Fredrick was spilling out apologies left and right.

"Please forgive me Edward. Had I know he would disobey me I would have given you this message myself."

"Think nothing of it. We had a minor altercation,but no harm was done.." Shockingly enough he only scratched the surface of my skin with his teeth,though I was sure I caused him to bleed some. The blood on my jacket proved me right.

"Yes,well, I'm glad things didn't end badly."Fredrick said,eying the blood I had just spotted.

"I will tell my father what you have asked. But, I can not guarantee he will agree to it. Now I must be going,if you'll excuse me."

I didn't wait for him to reply and I didn't look back as I retreated to my home. I kept thinking about Vincent, about how his face looked when he said those words to his father. About how much I thought what he had said was the truth.

Chapter Ten:

Struggle and Love.

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EPOV

The morning after my incident with Vincent, I was so excited that I would be seeing Bella. It had only been days since we started to actually speak, but I knew that something special was going to come out of this. No matter how wrong I was for her. I sat on the couch thinking about how true my words were. I was still significantly attracted to Bella's blood. I hadn't spent much time around her and now her I was going to sped the whole day with her. What kind of life would she have with me?

Alice came in the room and sat down beside me leaning her head on my shoulder.

" Edward, don't worry so much. Bella is going to love you someday, I can feel it. And I know that you won't kill her. I haven't seen it happening. Then again I haven't seen much happening with her."

"Just as I can't read her thoughts. Well not exactly since you have had a few visions of her."

"Yup. But really, you need to relax. Make this a special day for her. You never know what might happen." Alice giggled.

"You know I want to do this the right way, I have to court her so to speak. Then I can ask her to be with me. If she wants to that is." I sighed again knowing how impossible that would be.

As if she could read my mind Rosalie chimed in,though I hadn't seen or heard her enter the room.

"You know it won't happen Edward,why waste your time on some human. You'll ending up having her for desert sooner or later. Preferably sooner."

"Stop it Rose! He will not, he cares for her. How can you be so hateful?" Alice yelled at Rosalie. By then the whole family was in the room. I didn't have the energy to argue so I left and started my Volvo,then drove to Bella's house. When I knocked on the door she was already on the other side. I laughed silently. Was she as eager as I was?

"Good morning Bella." I said with a smile.

"Morning Edward." Her whole face lit up when she said my name. She was breathtaking. Unfathomably so.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Sure am."

She closed the door behind her and I led her to my car holding open the door for her and when I shut it her scent flew up at me like wild fire. The last time I was with Bella I was too occupied with my thoughts to really,fully be attacked by her scent. Now I was more aware of her and suddenly I felt like a fool.

No! I thought to myself. I will not harm her. I will make this work. I walked around to the driver's side and got into the car. I looked at Bella who was looking at me,looking at my lips actually and I touched the side of her face. She looked away at first,then she looked at me and smiled.

"So what's on the agenda for today."She asked,breaking the silence.

"Well, I have a few things in mind. First I was thinking of going to a book store in Port Angeles,then maybe have lunch at a restaurant. Then we could come back to Forks and there's a place I'd like to take you for the rest of the does that sound?"

"Wonderful.!" She nearly yelled. I laughed softly and she did the same.

I started driving and turned on one of my favorite cd's. The band was called Keane. The song playing was " Bend and break".

"Hey, I love this band!" Bella shouted." They've got a nice sounds,soothing but still they have an edge. Well as much edge as you can have with a piano."

"That's true. I'm not so much into today's music but this band I really do enjoy."

Bella smiled and then stared out of her window. She looked so deep in thought. Whatever was keeping her mind occupied did so until we arrived at the book store. Before going in, I offered her my hand to help her out of the car. All around us people were staring. I suppose being a gentleman in today's society was a little unheard of.

Bella blushed but didn't falter to take my hand,she held unto it even after we started heading for the store. When we entered the air blew in a light breeze right behind us. It mixed too well with the heat that flowing inside the store and all I could think of was her blood. I put my hand over my mouth and said a quick "excuse me" to Bella and went straight to the men's restroom.

I entered a stall and quickly took deep breaths. What have I gotten myself into? As much as I like her, her blood, it's all I can think of. I quickly took in more air and then stopped breathing in an attempt to clear my throat of the dryness and aching. I felt somewhat better then left the stall. I passed a mirror on the way by. I stared at myself. My golden eyes,my pale skin,my inhuman face. I was not worthy of her. "I will not kill her" I said out loud. " I will make this work.

I exited the restroom and went to find Bella. She was standing right outside the door.

"Edward, are you okay?What happened."

I decided that I would focus only on her. On how concerned she looked for me,how much passion was in her eyes, and how truly fragile she would always be.

I smiled." I'm fine. I get a little car sick from time to time,nothing major. Now,let's go find us something to read!" I lied.

We browsed through the history,science,and art sections of the store. Then we headed over to the fiction. Bella immediately spotted something and swiped it up off the shelf with a moving more graceful then usual. I laughed inwardly.

"What's that?"I asked.

"Oh, it's called, Fairies Realm ,book seven."

I laughed and said " Your into fairies? I didn't see that coming."

She playfully hit me on the arm.

"Yes Mr Cullen, I happen to love me some fairie books,is that a problem?" She said giggling.

"Not at all. I'll buy that for you, if you'll allow me. I'll even buy book one for myself,who knows maybe I'll become a fan too."

"No! I don't want you spending money on me like this. I mean, I appreciate it,but please, you don't have to."

"I insist."

I grabbed the book from her and then found volume one for myself and went straight to the register. Thankfully no one else was in line so I was being rung up before she could protest further. When we left the store and started driving to the restaurant Bella was pouting.

"Are you angry with me?"

"No Edward, I just don't like people buying me things. I can take care of things like that myself."

"I'm sorry if I offended you Bella. I just wanted to do something nice,will you forgive me?" I turned to face her and stroked her face. She blushed and I knew she would and immediately said '"Yes,no big deal."

Here in the warmth of the car her scent filled ever part of me. My nostrils burned and my throat ached. But I kept thinking of how lucky I was to have her sitting next to me,actually interested in what I was saying. How much I genuinely liked her, and how beautiful she was in every way imaginable.

When we arrived at the restaurant I felt considerably better and even more optimistic. We got a table off to the side in the back which I was thrilled about. I liked being alone with Bella. I ordered nothing for myself and Bella ordered ravioli and a garden salad. She insisted that I ordered something but eventually gave up. She ate silently until she caught me staring at her.

"Got something on my face?"she giggled.

"No, I'm just thinking sorry."

"What about?"

"About how beautiful you are." Oh no, did I just say that? Out loud?

Her face turned beat red and she started biting her lip. I had to grab a hold of the edge of the table for two reasons. One: Bella's blood was calling my name with such force that it took all of my strength not to attack her. Two: She looked so cute that,well it took all of my strength not to the same thing. I took a few deep breaths and centered myself,you can do this Edward.

"Cheesy line?" I asked when she was staring at me looking concerned.

Bella fidgeted with her fork and laughed nervously. "I'm not used to compliments,and well I didn't think that was a line."

" It wasn't" I said reassuringly.

She seemed pleased with my response and perked up a bit.

We continued talking then. About school and family,books,and the food she was eating. We were to in sync. We had so much in common,we were even beginning to finish each others sentences. When Bella finished her meal I payed for the bill,which again she was reluctant to have me pay for, but less upset about. On the drive back to Forks I continued playing my Keane cd since Bella seemed to be so fond of it. We never ran out for things to talk about, but sometimes there was silence. Not boring or awkward silence. But just silence where we enjoyed the moment. I parked my car next to her house and she gave em a questioning look. She was about to speak but I put my finger to her lip and got out of the car and walked around to her side to help her out.

"I'm taking you to one of my favorite places."

"The woods?"

"Shh,you'll see."

Chapter Eleven -The confession And the Kiss

BPOV (I know I said it would be in E'sPOV but I decided to go with Bella)

We walked and walked and finally reached the area in the woods where the Willow trees were. I thought Edward would stop walking here but he continued on even further. I was begining to think that we would not stop walking until Edward finally slowed down his steps and stopped.

"We're here" he said,while smiling a breathtaking smile.

Edward moved the leaves out of the way that seperated us from where we stood and where we were going. Air caught in my throat as I saw what was before my eyes. Beautiful tall trees lined the perimiter of what was almosta perfect circle of greenary. Wild flowers covered the land looking so foreign in the Forks at the tip of it all was a small little pond around which tall white flowers blossomed . The crackling of the water with the slight breeze,the smell of the flowers,and the feel of being sorruneded by such lush clean Earth,made my heart flutter. It was like a little haven in the woods.

"Do you like it?" Edward breathed into my ear. I jumped at his words as I remmembered I wasn't alone.

" Like it? Edward,how did you find this place. I love it, it's so beautiful." I smiled up at him encouragingly and he had a look of triumph on his face. He must have wanted this to go over well with me. Was Edward really, interested in me?

I mean I was begining to think so but I couldn't believe this man,who once seemed to loathe me was trying to please me. And yes, he was pretty close to being perfect.

" I was walking around here once,trying to clear my head and I just stumbled upon this place. Amazing isn't it? I stayed here for so long that day that one my siblings came looking for me." he chuckled softly. " I've never shown this to anyone else,so I'm glad you like it."

"Wow, I don't know what to say. Thank you." I said shyly. Then I did something I didn't know I was going to do. I hugged him. I put my arms around his waist and burried my face into his chest. About three seconds later I jumped back,only to have Edward pull me back to him. I breathed in his scent and felt so at ease. We stood there like that for what felt like a long time.

When he stepped out of our embrace I felt my face fall a little but recovered quickly. Edward gave me a crooked smile and reached for my hand. I took it as quickly as I could and somehow managed to trip over my own feet.

"Geeze!" I yelled out.

Edward had his arms around me and kept me from falling,and possibly toppling over him.

He giggled and got me standing on my feet again.

" Accident prone are we?"

"Yeah..sorry about that."

"No harm done,I'll just have to keep a closer eye on you." He said sweetly,giving m a quick wink.

I think I stopped breathing at that moment and I swear I think he noticed. He eyed me up questiongly and nudged me gently on the shoulder.

Edward led me over to the small pond which was such a sight to see. We both sat down indian style admiring the crystal clear water and the two Swans swimming, who weren't disturbed at all by our presence.

We enjoyed the silence for a while and it was broken by the Swans decigind to take off abruptly and scare the hell out of us. We laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. Somehow we landed on the sbject of me moving here. Why I disliked my mother's new husband,and surpisingly Edward seemed a little upset about it. He had said something about not being fond of divorce. I joked and asked him if he was married,and he looked like a nervous little girl.

"No I'm not married,not yet." He replied looking...scared?

"Calm down it was just a joke..."I said trying to smile my most friendly of smiles.

"I know, but as I said I'm old fashioned so I probably will want to marry younger than most people these days."

"How old are you? I asked,truthfully I didn't know.

"Seventeen. And you?"

"Same. Hey don't feel self concious of anything Edward. People have different views on life, whenever you want to get married is your choice. Personally I think it's ideal to marry young. Sure my parents did and we know what happened to them,but they weren't in love. They both always say I was the gift of their relationship and the purpose within it."

"That's beautiful Bella."

I felt my face get hot and looked away from his penetrating gaze. I wasn't usually that open about my opion or feelings. I felt his cold finger touch me just under the chin and when I looked up he was closer than I expected.

"Shall we lie in the grass? If you don't want to that's fine. I just like admiring the sky." He aslmost whispered upon my face.

"Um,Yeah,sure." I stumbled over my words and managed a brilliant reponse.

Edward gpt up wuickly taking my hand and led me to the center of the little clearing.

We lied down next to eachother looking up into the canapoy of old trees and watching the little birds bounce around eachother singing sweet songs.

I decided that now was the time. I think he trsusted me enough to ay least be honest. I started thinking of how to ask, but before I could form a sentence he spoke.

"Bella,I want to ask you something. But I need to tell you something first."

What did he need to ask me? And was he about to tell me what I already knew? Okay deep breathing Bella I reminded myself.

"Yes Edward?" I said,my voice shaking slightly.

He hesitated,and it seemed like he was debating on whether or not to tell me. Or maybe how much to tell me.

"My family and I...we're different. We aren't like everyone else. Bella you read about Fairies. Are there any other mythical things you read about?"

"No. Edward..I know what you are going to say. I know what you are,and I'm not going to run away."

He snapped straight up and was suddenly sitting beside where I was lying. His mouth hung slightly open in an O shape.

"You,what?" He asked,incrediously.

"Your a..." I took a deep breath " Vampire."

"You know! You know and yet you sit here with me like I'm just like you. I could kill you Bella! Your scent, it appeals to me more than other humans. And you sit here with me,knowing I'm something out of hell and you...you won't run away?" He almost screamed.

I shooks slightly,not because of fear but shock. I didn't know Edward to look so,irrate.

"If you are drawn to my blood, I don't mind. I mean, I like you Edward and everything about you. If this is what you are I want to know more. I want to be here for you. I know I sound silly,we barely know each other,but I like you, a lot Edward."

His golden eyes were showing turbulance,he was struggling inside of himself.

I blinked and he was gone.

"Edward?" I called out, quietly,then louder "Edward?"

He was back in front of me moments later.

"I'm sorry Bella. I just,when I first saw you, you were the reason I left. Your scent, your beauty, you, I was overwlhmed. Your scent, I just can hardly resist. I almost killed you that day,and many days after I returned."

I gulped,loudly.

"I came up to you in the cafeteria becaue I couldn't take not knowing you Bella. I put my bloodlust after my inetrest in you. I neever thought it possible, but I started to go to your house at night." He eyed me carefully when saying this, and I made sure I looked reasonably calm.

He continued. "I never broke in, I just perched outiside your window. I made myself breathe in your scent and much as I could, so I could manage to interact with you. That, and the many thoughts and feeling running through my mind is why I can be here with you now and that day after school. But you will always be in danger around me. Bella, I feel so much for you..I can't explain."

I inched myself closer to him and rested my hand on his cheek.

"Edward,if you can be here now and not kill me, I have hope that maybe we can continue this."

He set his gaze upon me fully and before I could blink his cold,yet tender lips were upon mine. He moved slowly and gently. My heartbeat sped up and I was in total schock. I kissed him back and took in the moment.

He stopped kissing me, and leaned away placing his hand over mine. I smiled up at him,unsure of what to do next and the same look of triumph from earlier was present on his face.

"Bella,will you be with me?"

Was I hearing things?

He must have thought I was hesitating.

"You don't have to say yes.." He said, he said sounding hurt.

"Edward! No, I mean YES! You misundersatnd. I can't eblieve that you would want me. But Yes, Yes I will be with you.." I felt a little more than slef consious.

"You must be joking. Bella,your the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. Your smart, and funny and caring. I am so happy to know you. And I am beyond thrilled that you said yes." He trilled.

Then he pulled me into an embrace,wehre I half sat on his lap and he kissed me passionately.

All too soon he pulled away, standing in front of where I sat,facing the direction opposite to us. Was he snarling?

I turned around and stood up behind him.

A russet colored wolf stood ten feet away.

Jacob.

Chapter Eleven -The confession,and the kiss

BPOV

We walked and walked and finally reached the area in the woods where the Willow trees were. I thought Edward would stop walking here but he continued on even further. I was beginning to think that we would not stop walking until Edward finally slowed down his steps and stopped.

"We're here" he said,while smiling a breathtaking smile.

Edward moved the leaves out of the way that separated us from where we stood and where we were going. Air caught in my throat as I saw what was before my eyes. Beautiful tall trees lined the perimeter of what was almost a perfect circle of greenery. Wild flowers covered the land looking so foreign in the Forks at the tip of it all was a small little pond around which tall white flowers blossomed .Two Swans swan side by side inside the little pond,looking peaceful. The crackling of the water with the slight breeze,the smell of the flowers,and the feel of being surrounded by such lush clean Earth,made my heart flutter. It was like a little haven in the woods.

"Do you like it?" Edward breathed into my ear. I jumped at his words as I remembered I wasn't alone.

" Like it? Edward,how did you find this place. I love it, it's so beautiful." I smiled up at him encouragingly and he had a look of triumph on his face. He must have wanted this to go over well with me. Was Edward really, interested in me?

I mean I was beginning to think so but I couldn't believe this man,who once seemed to loathe me was trying to please me. And yes, he was pretty close to being perfect.

" I was walking around here once,trying to clear my head and I just stumbled upon this place. Amazing isn't it? I stayed here for so long that day that one my siblings came looking for me." he chuckled softly. " I've never shown this to anyone else,so I'm glad you like it."

"Wow, I don't know what to say. Thank you." I said shyly. Then I did something I didn't know I was going to do. I hugged him. I put my arms around his waist and buried my face into his chest. About three seconds later I jumped back,only to have Edward pull me back to him. I breathed in his scent and felt so at ease. We stood there like that for what felt like a long time.

When he stepped out of our embrace I felt my face fall a little but recovered quickly. Edward gave me a crooked smile and reached for my hand. I took it as quickly as I could and somehow managed to trip over my own feet.

"Geeze!" I yelled out.

Edward had his arms around me and kept me from falling,and possibly toppling over him.

He giggled and got me standing on my feet again.

" Accident prone are we?"

"Yeah..sorry about that."

"No harm done,I'll just have to keep a closer eye on you." He said sweetly,giving m a quick wink.

I think I stopped breathing at that moment and I swear I think he noticed. He eyed me up questioningly and nudged me gently on the shoulder.

Edward led me over to the small pond which was such a sight to see. We both sat down Indian style admiring the crystal clear water and the two Swans swimming, who weren't disturbed at all by our presence.

We enjoyed the silence for a while and it was broken by the Swans deciding to take off abruptly and scare the hell out of us. We laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. Somehow we landed on the subject of me moving here. Why I disliked my mother's new husband,and surprisingly Edward seemed a little upset about it. He had said something about not being fond of divorce. I joked and asked him if he was married,and he looked like a nervous little girl.

"No I'm not married,not yet." He replied looking...scared?

"Calm down it was just a joke..."I said trying to smile my most friendly of smiles.

"I know, but as I said I'm old fashioned so I probably will want to marry younger than most people these days."

"How old are you? I asked,truthfully I didn't know.

"Seventeen. And you?"

"Same. Hey don't feel self conscious of anything Edward. People have different views on life, whenever you want to get married is your choice. Personally I think it's ideal to marry young. Sure my parents did and we know what happened to them,but they weren't in love. They both always say I was the gift of their relationship and the purpose within it."

"That's beautiful Bella."

I felt my face get hot and looked away from his penetrating gaze. I wasn't usually that open about my opinion or feelings. I felt his cold finger touch me just under the chin and when I looked up he was closer than I expected.

"Shall we lay back ? If you don't want to that's fine. I just like admiring the sky." He almost whispered upon my face.

"Um,Yeah,sure." I stumbled over my words and managed a brilliant response.

Edward got up quickly taking my hand and led me to the center of the little clearing.

We lied down next to each other looking up into the canape of old trees and watching the little birds bounce around each other singing sweet songs.

I decided that now was the time. I think he trusted me enough to ay least be honest. I started thinking of how to ask, but before I could form a sentence he spoke.

"Bella,I want to ask you something. But I need to tell you something first."

What did he need to ask me? And was he about to tell me what I already knew? Okay deep breathing Bella I reminded myself.

"Yes Edward?" I said,my voice shaking slightly.

He hesitated,and it seemed like he was debating on whether or not to tell me. Or maybe how much to tell me.

"My family and I...we're different. We aren't like everyone else. Bella you read about Fairies. Are there any other mythical things you read about?"

"No. Edward..I know what you are going to say. I know what you are,and I'm not going to run away."

He snapped straight up and was suddenly sitting beside where I was lying. His mouth hung slightly open in an O shape.

"You,what?" He asked,incredulously.

"Your a..." I took a deep breath " Vampire."

"You know! You know and yet you sit here with me like I'm just like you. I could kill you Bella! Your scent, it appeals to me more than other humans. And you sit here with me,knowing I'm something out of hell and you...you won't run away?" He almost screamed.

I shook slightly,not because of fear but shock. I didn't know Edward to look so,irate.

"If you are drawn to my blood, I don't mind. I mean, I like you Edward and everything about you. If this is what you are I want to know more. I want to be here for you. I know I sound silly,we barely know each other,but I like you, a lot Edward."

His golden eyes were showing turbulence,he was struggling inside of himself.

I blinked and he was gone.

"Edward?" I called out, quietly,then louder "Edward?"

He was back in front of me moments later.

"I'm sorry Bella. I just,when I first saw you, you were the reason I left. Your scent, your beauty, you, I was overwhelmed. Your scent, I just can hardly resist. I almost killed you that day,and many days after I returned."

I gulped,loudly.

"I came up to you in the cafeteria because I couldn't take not knowing you Bella. I put my blood lust after my interest in you. I never thought it possible, but I started to go to your house at night." He eyed me carefully when saying this, and I made sure I looked reasonably calm.

He continued. "I never broke in, I just perched outside your window. I made myself breathe in your scent and much as I could, so I could manage to interact with you. That, and the many thoughts and feeling running through my mind is why I can be here with you now and that day after school. But you will always be in danger around me. Bella, I feel so much for you..I can't explain."

I inched myself closer to him and rested my hand on his cheek.

"Edward,if you can be here now and not kill me, I have hope that maybe we can continue this."

He set his gaze upon me fully and before I could blink his cold,yet tender lips were upon mine. He moved slowly and gently. My heartbeat sped up and I was in total shock. I kissed him back and took in the moment.

He stopped kissing me, and leaned away placing his hand over mine. I smiled up at him,unsure of what to do next and the same look of triumph from earlier was present on his face.

"Bella,will you be with me?"

Was I hearing things?

He must have thought I was hesitating.

"You don't have to say yes.." He said, sounding hurt.

"Edward! No, I mean YES! You misunderstand. I can't believe that you would want me. But Yes, Yes I will be with you.." I felt a little more than self conscious.

"You must be joking. Bella,your the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. Your smart, and funny and caring. I am so happy to know you. And I am beyond thrilled that you said yes." He trilled.

Then he pulled me into an embrace,where I half sat on his lap and he kissed me passionately.

All too soon he pulled away, standing in front of where I sat,facing the direction opposite to us. Was he snarling?

I turned around and stood up behind him.

A russet colored wolf stood ten feet away.

Jacob.

bA/N The next chapter will be from Jacob's POV. Then after I get out a few essential chapters, Vincent will be back and things are going to get Wild! Special thanks to Alex Daniels,Bells,and Teagen for your supportive words. Thanks for reading :)/b

Chapter Twelve

Uncomfortable Threesome.

JPOV

Man, doing patrols can get old quick. Ever since I've been back Sam has been riding my back trying to make me the perfect little zombie wolf like the others have become. So far Sam,Paul,Quil,Embry,Jared,Leah,Seth and I are the only wolves in Forks. Which is just weird considering how many leeches are roaming the damn place. I guess that means our pack is going to get bigger now that the first bunch of has changed.

I was becoming a little more comfortable with the fact that I was a shape shifter. No, I can't say I'd rather be a wolf half of my time then be human,but some of this was kinda...cool. The speed,the agility, the "fighting" we got to do,it was such an adrenaline rush. I loved the feeling of being wild, free and dangerous. All my life I've wanted to be bigger than this Reservation. And when I'm in my wolf form, I feel I am closer to myself than I am while human. It's the secrets and sometimes the solidarity that get to me. Not to mention the pack can hear eachother's thought and share images with one another.

That last little bit was especially creepy as the pack started,you know,loosing their innosence thanks to their new love lives. Sam,Paul and Quil had already imprinted on a few of the local chicks. Yeah, Imprinting. I'm not sure if I'm lookin forward to being with a girl because my wolf genes tell me she's the one. What about what I want? Sam says when it happens I won't even think about another girl,but he doesn't know everything!I'm glad I'm an only child because if I had a sisterI'd be pissed to see one of those perverted wolves get their paws on her,literally.

Sam was really controlling and domineering. Yeah, he's the Alpha, but only because I haven't stepped up to take that role on. Now that I've got some of my manlyhood back and actually enjoy being a wolf, I might just take my birth right back.

I laughed inside of my head imagining Sam's face once that day comes and rounded the tree in front of me while digging my paws into the rich soil. As I started running straight I picked up on all too familiar scent. And then another familiar sent which sent anger ripling through my giant,russet, wolf body.

I stopped at a small opening hidden by a ton of tree branches and shurbs. I peered my head in through first and wished I had only been dreaming. There they were. Cullen and Bella,my Bella, my best friend,kissing a VAMPIRE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! What the hell was she thinking. What was HE thinking? I made my way into the clearing and Edward was,just as I thought he would be, crouching in front of Bella snarling at me like a maniac. Seconds later Bella looked my way and her eyes grew wide with recognition. She knew that I would be pissed.

"Jake.." Bella practically whispered.

"You know this mutt?" Edward growled and I let out a feral snarl in response.

"Mutt? Edward,that's my best friend. Jacob Black."

Cullen looked like he had seen a ghost and I almost wet myself. Well, wolf style.

"Jake,do you mind changing back?"

I stared at Bella for a minute,wondering what I really should do and decided, I'd like to speak to Cullen before I put the smack down on him. I went behind a tree,phased and changed into the shorts I had tied to my leg. Yeah, I was beginning to learn the little tricks to pashing.

As I walked back out into the clearing Edward was no longer croushing, but he had his hand interlocked with Bellas and he was giving me the look of death. I laughed loudly and Bella looked at me,clearly confused. I shook my head and went to stand in front of them.

"Sup?" I said,trying to sound nonchalont.

"That's what I'd like to know." Edward growled.

" Jake,this is Edward, Edward this is Jake. I know you two are like supernatural enemies and what not but please try and be civilized."

I strecthed out my hand to Edward's and I was shocked that he took it,and we hook hands.

"Hey leechy poo."

"Hi, puppy."

"Just what do you think your doing snuggling it up with my best friend who also happens to be a human?"

I saw Bella flinch at the word human, and remembered she'd only had a short time to adjust to the fact that I wasn't all human myself.

"That's mine and Bella's buisness."

"Your breaking the , it is my buisness."

"How wrong you are mutt. Bella recognized you the moment you showed up and since you phased in front of her, I'm guessing she already knew about you."

Crap,he had me there.

"Does it matter who broke it first? Point is it's been broken. And I'm sure my pack would love to blame you and kick you and your family right outta Forks. Bloodsucking Leech!"

"ENOUGH!" Bella screetched loud enough to hurt my eardrums. Damn!

"Look,Jake told me about the treaty Edward,and your family's history with his tribe. But can't you put all of that aside for now? Let's all just talk calmly. Come on, we're going to my house, Charlie's out fishing with Jake's Dad and we'll have hours to talk."

Neither Edward or I said anything, but we both made or way to the opening of the clearing. I phased and started running, noticing Edward at my flanks seconds later with Bella on his back. My stomach flipped and I had to push myself to keep moving forward.

I kept repeating over and over in my mind "She's your best friend,your gonna have to accept this sooner or later."

Chapter Thirteen

Wolf,Vampire,and Human.

BPOV

My first Vampire "ride". Edward told me to hold on tight and keep my eyes shut. I did exactly that and still felt the most adrenaline filled rush I'd ever had. It made me temporarily forget that my best friend and now my...boyfriend? were supernatural enemies. The wind was wild around us and never quite seemed to touch us,though my hair was flying far behind my body. I felt weightless, and free. It felt like flying.

When Edward set me down across the street from my house I wanted to beg for more, but I knew what was about to happen was a little more important. Jake was already sitting on my porch and was shooting daggers into the forest. I cringed a little at the look of pure evil on his face and Edward seemed to catch on.

"Bella, don't let him scare you."

"He doesn't scare me! I'm just not used to seeing him look so,crazed."

"Why didn't you tell me about him?"

" I was planning to, remember you only now confessed your own secret! Why would I go blurting out to you that my best friend is a shape shifter when you were still playing human?"

"Nicely put. This is going to be difficult Bella, and I'ms orry if I disappoint you in there. I will never befriend him."

I dismissed that lovely comment and crossed the street with Edward in tow. I breezed passed Jacob and unlocked my door and held it open for them once I was inside. They both trudged in looking downtrodden and just plain mean.

I sat down on the couch and they both sat on chairs on opposite sides of the room. I tooka deep breath and began my attempt to make an akward situation slightly less akward. God help me!

"Look. I'm going to explain a few things. Fill in the holes so to speak. Edward, Jacob and I have been friends for years. When I had to move to Phoneix we were both heart broken. So when Jacob moved there I was elated. He has always been like I brother to me, and I a sister to him. The week before he moved he completely ignored me and when he did move he wasn't the same Jacob. He rarely saw me and he was always on the edge.I knew he had something going on,but he wouldn't talk about it. As I'm sure you've figured out by now,he had shifted and freaked the hell out. He went to Phoenix to stay with a man named Jason, who I think is human but accepted Jake's secret. Anyway,long story short, I called him the night of our first,uhm..time hanging out and told him I needed him. He came the next day and well, he phased in front of me . He told me evrything he knew about his shape shifting and I told him about you."

I took another deep breath and let that information soak in. Edward was eyeing me cautiously and Jacob was staring into space. I could see that he was hurt. He probabythought I was ditching him for his enemy. But, I wasn't ditching anyone.

"Jacob. Edward and I didn't hit it off too well. Let's just say his nature was hard for him to tame and he avoided me for months after my arrival. I brooded over the possibilties and when he finally apporached em in the cafeteria I was just relieved that I'd know what I had done to make him avoid me. After spending the day with him I started noticing things I hadn't before. That night I made the conclusion that he was definately not..human..and I called you. Between that day and now, I've grown so fond of Edward. I have been since the first day I saw , spending time together only solidified that I didn't want to not have him in my life. And we've decided to be..together."

Jacob's mouth fell open an bit but he quickly recovered and fidgited in his seat, still looking at nothing in particular. Edward was half smiling at me, and I had just remembered all of the things I had admitted to in front of him. Oh boy.

" So neeless to say you'd like us to be friends?" Edward said,with tension clear in his tone.

I just nodded my head yes.

"I'll be...decent to him Bells. But he will NEVER be my friend." Jake said through clenched teeth.

"Hey, mongrel, can't you see that this is bigger than you? If your so much so her best friend,then consider her feelings first."

"Hahaha! That means so much coming from you. You know you could kill her, you know hwo easy it would be to slip up and yet here you sit. And asking her to be with you, as I assume you did the asking, how could you?"

Edward fell silent and guilt crossed his face.

"Exactly,you'll always be a bloodscuker Edward,she'll always be a human."

I felt my heart drop and was about to storm off to my room when Edward cut me off.

"Charlie's coming. Quick let's go to your room,Jake and I can leave though your window once he's inside."

Before I had time to process that information,and how Edward knew it I was in my room. Edward pecked me lightly on the lips and jumped out of my window and the was nowhere to be seen. Jake lingered behind a moment longer glaring at me,but he gave me a quick tight hug and a smile the he too, jumped out of my window.

Again,before I could process anything,Charlie was at my door.

"Hey Bells. How was your day? Hope I didn't leave you alone too long."

" No dad, I'm fine. I had a lazy day, you know,reading,tv, the works."

He chuckled and smiled warmly at me.

"Howsa bout I order us a pizza tonight? Billy lent me a movie,yeah I know,weird huh? It's called "He's just not that into you" something or another."

I looked wide eyed at my father,trying to imagine him watching that movie. I laughed so hard I cried! Charlie joined in on the laughter and when we recovered we agreed we'd watch it for the heck of it. Once he left the room, I was left alone with my thoughts. How did Edward know Charlie was coming? And how would Jake and him get along? I sighed and fell onto my bed,letting my eyelids close.

I tried to clear my mind for the time being,ignoring all of the negatives. Just when I thought the little exercise was working, a face popped into my mind. _His _face. The face I tried so hard not to think about.

Chapter 13 - Memory

VPOV

She was thinking about me. I sighed contentedly to myself while I lay sprawled out on my bed. My plan was working and it made me a little more at ease. I coundn't decide what it was that I was actualy feeling about this girl. This little human girl. I toyed with her to get my family off of my back for the moment,but I didn't like knowing she was pained by my actions. Of course when it comes down to it, I enjoy making her want me,and making her forget him.

Honestly, if I hadn't become so..what is the word? Mezmorized,I suppose, with her then I don't think I'd be doing this at all. In the long run I wasn't going to be on my family's side. I would help them with their plans up until they decided to leave for Italy. Though I wouldn't mind trading in these golden eyes, I would never step foot in Voltera again. If I ever had to lay my eyes upon them...

I shuddered at the thought. Good luck father, you won't have my help in that little scheme of yours. My father. I couldn't understand him at all. I loved him,I truly did. From the moment that he and Anna had taken myself and my siblings into their care I had loved them both.

Flashback

May 18 1920,that date will forever be burned into my memory. I was holding Dahlia's hand tightly in mine,while Franco held my hand and scanned the crowd with with his eyes. Our parents had taken us to see a play. Intermission had just begun and our parents were not in the seats they were in on other side of us. We walked to the lobby hoping that they had just gone to the restroom but they never returned. It wasn't until the pale faced men with cold hands led us to single file line outside of the theater that we caught a glimpse of them being taken to a back alley. That was the last we would ever see of them.

When we arrived in Volterra from Millan we were escorted by Heidi to see them. The Volturi. There were about 40 of us in total,and only myself and my siblings were children. The members of the gaurd must have decided not to play by the rules that day. They were waiting in their chamber,looking regal,feral,and beautiful. Aro,as he had introduced himself, was immediately outraged by my family.

"Children! Children? Heidi how did this happen?"

"I am not sure master..Felix and Demetri were the ones who were responsible for getting a group together."

Aro repremanded the men who had taken us,screaming about rules and dignity,and threats.

None of us spoke, none of us screamed. We all stood there,full of trepidation and confusion. A small blond girl was told to take us to another room for the time being. The three of us clung to eachother tightly and followed her into a small room with no windows,and no furniture. Just before she shut the door as she was leaving,the most terrifying screams I've ever heard trilled throughout the air.

About an hour later the girl,whom we learned was called Jane, led us back to the chamber. All of the people who had been taken with us were gone and no trace of them was left behind.

"I am so sorry children for this..mishap. You see it's not of my beleif to subject the young and innocent to any kind of men made a mistake and believe me they are paying for it. I've decided that you will not be able to leave here,however you will be given a choice."

He motioned behind him and two people,a man and woman stepped forward.

"Meet Fredrick and Anna. They are two of my greatest and most loyal friends. They will be looking after you while you stay here. Think of them as parents so to speak... By the way I am terribly sorry about you loosing your mother and father." Aro looked truly sorry but still his mentioning my parents made me sick and all I could think of was murdering him. Dahlia nestled her head in my arms and sobbed endlessly. Franco stood there cold and emotionless,keeping his body angled so that he was in front of us,always a protector.

Marcus spoke for the first time and he really could have kept his mouth shut. " Aro forget about all of this sentimental nonsense and get on with this! These orphaned human children are wasting my time."

"Marcus you seem to forget which one of us is in charge here. Now children,as I was saying. Fredrick and Anna will raise you until the last of you has turned 18. At that time you will each have a choice."

He walked closer to us then, stroking our hair and patting our heads. "You will choose between immortality as vampire and be granted permission to leave Volterra with Fredrick and Anna,or staying here and joining our gaurd. Staying human and leaving,is not an option. If you should choose to stay human then your faits do not lie in my hands."

Our time in Volterra was unforgettable. We were exposed to so many different things both good and bad. Aro insisted that we be tutored in all the areas we would study in a normal school,and well beyond that. We were taught to play certain sports,and even instruments. He said he wanted us to be well rounded and intelligent,that we would make better vampires that way. He also wanted us to live as normally as was possible,but with him being the murderous filth that he is, I never understood why.

Fredrick assumed the fatherly role rather quickly. He taught us things,and corrected us when we were wrong. He had "the talk"(which was a little different than what normal guys are told) with Peter and myself. He was strict but he loved us without question. Anna was much the same,she nurtured us and comforted us. She never had children of her own and she treated us like we were hers from the start. I loved them immediately. I was 14 at the time we were taken,Dahlia was 12,and Franco was 15.

Even after Franco and I turned 18 we had to wait for Dahlia to catch up to us. When that day finally came,we knew exactly what we would choose. Aro turned us all in almost the same instant and there in the Volturi chamber we burned for three ungodly days. When we woke, I was the most ravenous for blood. I was angry and violent,more so than the normal newborn. Aro seemed thrilled,he said that once I reached some point of maturity as a vampire I would be lethal,he was right.

I grew to hate feeding from humans,though I never wanted to be like Fredrick and Anna as far as their "diet" went. They followed the same diet as the Cullens. I was so shcoked to learn of this because they were after all living with the Volturi. Anna had explained that they had traveled the world over and over and they grew bored with it so they came to Volterra in hopes of Aro allowing them to stay for a while. And of course he did,even though he detested their choice to feed off of only animals. Their golden eyes frightened me for some reason,they were so unnatural. They were obviously not human,but they were too similair for my taste, especially when they turned dar k from this day I loathe myself for having those same golden eyes. It reminds me of my life before death,before immortality.

We lived there still for five years after our change, being taught and trained,and of course finding out about our gifts. I happened upon mine by complete accident. One day while speaking with Aro I noticed he was wearing a very peculiar pendant. It intrigued me so, twinkling with sahppires,emerals and rubies,all molded into the shape of a star. I wanted it so badly but I knew he would never give it to me. Teasingly I said " You know that pendant would look much better on me, I mean what with my stlye of dress."

Aro quickly eyed the pendant and hardened his gaze upon me. "This pendant was given to me by my father,surely you do not intend on taking this from me?" I laughed,or giggled rather for the first time in a long time and stroked his cheek. "My dear master, I would not take anything from you without your permission. It is just so lovely..." I had no idea what was going on, my skin felt hot even though it shouldn't have and my eyes felt like glass. My tone was venemous but dripping with seduction.

Aro started to take of his pendant before snapping back to reality. He held my hands and as I had known this from many other times he was reading my mind,or rather everything about me. He was so blissfully happy once he realized this was my gift making it's first appeaernce. I was disgusted. Seduction,seduction? What good would that ever do me? Now and again I wanted something and I got it,but was that really so amazing?

In time I grew to like what it brought me,occasional affection from a woman,but never any intamacy. No one questioned me,I spoke and they did as I told them. It was nice having that feeling of power and being wanted, actually it was addicting.

Not long after Dhalia realized that she could intercept visions. She would have a few minutes where time seemed frozen for her. A vision flashing through her mind, but it was not hers. She had to decide whether or not let it pass onto the human,or vampire whom it belonged to or to hide it away and stop them from seeing it. Aro begged her to join the gaurd but she declined many many times.

Franco's gift was quite handy but it had it's complications. He was a tracker of sorts, he could know where anyone was at any given time,down to the area of ground their feet were planted on. This only worked however if they were within 300 miles of him.

On our last day in Volterra,Aro asked us all one last time if we were sure about leaving,and much to his dismay we all were. I'll never forget, even if it were possible,his last words to us...

"This will be a test for you all. A test of strength,instinct and loyalty. Do not fail."

-End of Flashback-

As I stared out of the window,another pull from Bella brought me out of my reverie.

I wasn't even going after her,and she was thinking about me,of her own free will. I was faily certain that she had begun to block me out of her mind,unless of course I was having my way with her.

What was she thinking? Probably how much she hated me,and how much she wished I would dissapear. For some reason,that thought...hurt.

I'd been watching her from the sidelines for quite sometime . She was so peculiar,in the most irresistable way. She was shy and reserved,yet when she was with Edward and close friends she was so animated and carefree. I feel the need to be near her all of time,to be held by her, to laugh, and to...love. To love whom or what I don't know. Just to love...

"Vincent." I turned my head just in time to see Franco beside my bed. "It's time. Father said it's now or never,Vince you have to make a choice...he's not ready to leave just yet but he wants to know if your going. I know you don't agree with this...but please just come,please brother..."

"There is way that I am going back to Volterra,especially not to try and overthrow those scumNo! no . And has father told anyone what he is doing with those kids? He's been so secretive, I just want to know! Is he going to turn them? They're just kids Franco! Just like us when we were taken from mother and father! How could he?"

I felt my brother's arms wrap around me and I struggled free of his embrace. For two years now a group of human children have been living in our home. And for two years I've lived in fear. When he brought them here,father simply told us not to worry,that they would not be harmed and that he had their best interests at heart. We didn't speak to them,we didn't even see them much as mostly stayed in the eastern wing of our mancine which we rarely used. Anna was with them often and never spoke to us about them. I remember how livid we were when they arrived. Franco was annoyed and confused, Dahlia was worried, and I was appaled. We pleaded with him to let them go, or to simply explain why they were here. All we know to this day is what to do when we're around them and to keep them hidden.

"I need to know Franc,I have to know why they're here." I said,standing to my feet.

"And so do I brother, but I think your biggest issue right now is what your going to tell him, he's not going to take your rejection well."

"Then so be it." I spat as I exited the room leaving my brother's voice echoing behind me...

"Good luck brother.."

Chapter 14 - Refusal

"Son..please sit down."

I sat down on the chair that was the furthest away from him. He was nervous and I could tell.

"I suppose you already know why I want to speak to -"

"Theres no need for the build up Father, I already know what you want. My answer is no. I am not going to Volterra with you, I agreed to seduce Bella as a way to have some black mail on the Cullens, but I refuse to fight the Volturi. I want nothing to do with them, or Volterra. Let them rule father ! Let them! As long as they stay away from me and my family, It doesn't matter to me what they do !"

"Vincent,it's not so simple. We're not just going there to fight, we're going there to _win. _To overthrow them completely. Anna and myself have been planning this for a very very long time, before we ever met you."

"Why? Why do you want to do it? I didn't take you for a man who was power hungry or suicidal..."

"It's time I told you a few things son. When your mother and I went to live with them,it wasn't out of boredom with the rest of the world. Yes, we'd seen enough of it to satisfy ourselves for a century or so, but it was more...personal. We were spying on them,you see. Anna and myself used to be nomads, we used to feed on humans, until we met Carlisle. He showed us that we could regain a part of our humanity we thought was lost forever. We lives with him and Esmee for a time,and set of on our own again to find a place we'd like to settle down in. We were passing through Alaska when we meet two other vampires, Hector and Elaine. They were clearly not nomads, and clearly had not settled down in the area either. We were going to ignore them at first, but they came up to usjust seemingly interested in our golden colored eyes. We explained our diet to them, and they were shocked as most of our kind are, but more than that they were happy. The first time I looked at them I hadn't noticed it, their eyes were not crimson,or black. They were golden also. I suppose being around the Cullens had caused me to see this as normal. To make a long story short we settled into the area together and became great friends."

" I don't see what this has to do with anything.."  
>"Let me finish, son."<p>

Vincent flipped his black hair back and sighed with a look of contempt as he said " Very well then."

"Elaine is Aro's sister, his true blood sister. They were turned at the same time but went off seperately. More accurately, Aro abandoned her. After their three days of burning were over she never saw him again. After many,many, centuries when the Volturi had overthrown the Romanians, she finally was able to send word to him, reaching out, trying to reconnect. He responded to her letter with one of his own, saying she was not of any use to him, and his home was in Volterra with his new family,which she was not a part of. He also said that is she ever set foot there,he would show no mercy. It was very bizarre behavior, even for Aro, as Elaine had done no wrong..it seems he blames her for what happened to them both, though she had no idea was enraged, he wasn't going to allow anyone to threaten his mate. One night he left, while Elaine was out hunting, only telling me of his plan to go and handle things with Aro. I told him he should stay, and that he would only cause more trouble or get himself killed. He refused. So I went with him, leaving your mother in a fit of hysetria."

Vincent started at his father with eyes slightly less full of contempt, and filled with mild ineterest. So he had stood up to the Volturi once before huh? He liked the sound of that.

"When we arrived Aro was the one to greet us,he listened intently as Hector pleaded with him to stop holding a grudge against his sister for no reason, and as he told him to never, ever threaten her again, or he'd regret it. Aro with once glance at Jane who had occompanied him, silenced Hector and ..."

"I can guess the rest.."

"No Vincent, you can't. Instead of avenging my old and loyal friend, I allowed Aro to threaten me and my wife into living with them as prisoners, while he kept his own sister in a cell beneath the chamber. I was a coward Vincenet, you were right to say that. I am not going to Volterra for myself, I am going to right a very old wrong,to fianlly avenge my friends and pay for my sin. I hope to defeat them Vincent, so that you and your brother and sister and mother can Rule there, with a beautiful new law. But I, I hope to be defeated or put in that cell Elaine still resides in to this very day."

With a look of shock, horror, disgust, and pity, Vincent rushed to his father's side and emraced him. He'd had no idea this has been why his father had been on pins and needles for so long.

"Father, those, those chidlren,what do they have to do with this?"

Fredrick sighed and pulled Vincent from their embrace to look into his eyes, he was gentle then, fragile looking he thought, but still very very trapped in the hell of his own wrong deeds.

"They're not children,well not 're fairies, ana rmy I've been training to help us in battle."

"...F..fairies?"

Chapter 13, continued.

Our time in Volterra was unforgettable. We were exposed to so many different things both good and bad. Aro insisted that we be tutored in all the areas we would study in a normal school,and well beyond that. We were taught to play certain sports,and even instruments. He said he wanted us to be well rounded and intelligent,that we would make better vampires that way. He also wanted us to live as normally as was possible,but with him being the murderous filth that he is, I never understood why.

Fredrick assumed the fatherly role rather quickly. He taught us things,and corrected us when we were wrong. He had "the talk"(which was a little different than what normal guys are told) with Peter and myself. He was strict but he loved us without question. Anna was much the same,she nurtured us and comforted us. She never had children of her own and she treated us like we were hers from the start. I loved them immediately. I was 14 at the time we were taken,Dahlia was 12,and Franco was 15.

Even after Franco and I turned 18 we had to wait for Dahlia to catch up to us. When that day finally came,we knew exactly what we would choose. Aro turned us all in almost the same instant and there in the Volturi chamber we burned for three ungodly days. When we woke, I was the most ravenous for blood. I was angry and violent,more so than the normal newborn. Aro seemed thrilled,he said that once I reached some point of maturity as a vampire I would be lethal,he was right.

I grew to hate feeding from humans,though I never wanted to be like Fredrick and Anna as far as their "diet" went. They followed the same diet as the Cullens. I was so shcoked to learn of this because they were after all living with the Volturi. Anna had explained that they had traveled the world over and over and they grew bored with it so they came to Volterra in hopes of Aro allowing them to stay for a while. And of course he did,even though he detested their choice to feed off of only animals. Their golden eyes frightened me for some reason,they were so unnatural. They were obviously not human,but they were too similair for my taste, especially when they turned dar k from this day I loathe myself for having those same golden eyes. It reminds me of my life before death,before immortality.

We lived there still for five years after our change, being taught and trained,and of course finding out about our gifts. I happened upon mine by complete accident. One day while speaking with Aro I noticed he was wearing a very peculiar pendant. It intrigued me so, twinkling with sahppires,emerals and rubies,all molded into the shape of a star. I wanted it so badly but I knew he would never give it to me. Teasingly I said " You know that pendant would look much better on me, I mean what with my stlye of dress."

Aro quickly eyed the pendant and hardened his gaze upon me. "This pendant was given to me by my father,surely you do not intend on taking this from me?" I laughed,or giggled rather for the first time in a long time and stroked his cheek. "My dear master, I would not take anything from you without your permission. It is just so lovely..." I had no idea what was going on, my skin felt hot even though it shouldn't have and my eyes felt like glass. My tone was venemous but dripping with seduction.

Aro started to take of his pendant before snapping back to reality. He held my hands and as I had known this from many other times he was reading my mind,or rather everything about me. He was so blissfully happy once he realized this was my gift making it's first appeaernce. I was disgusted. Seduction,seduction? What good would that ever do me? Now and again I wanted something and I got it,but was that really so amazing?

In time I grew to like what it brought me,occasional affection from a woman,but never any intamacy. No one questioned me,I spoke and they did as I told them. It was nice having that feeling of power and being wanted, actually it was addicting.

Not long after Dhalia realized that she could intercept visions. She would have a few minutes where time seemed frozen for her. A vision flashing through her mind, but it was not hers. She had to decide whether or not let it pass onto the human,or vampire whom it belonged to or to hide it away and stop them from seeing it. Aro begged her to join the gaurd but she declined many many times.

Franco's gift was quite handy but it had it's complications. He was a tracker of sorts, he could know where anyone was at any given time,down to the area of ground their feet were planted on. This only worked however if they were within 300 miles of him.

On our last day in Volterra,Aro asked us all one last time if we were sure about leaving,and much to his dismay we all were. I'll never forget, even if it were possible,his last words to us...

"This will be a test for you all. A test of strength,instinct and loyalty. Do not fail."

-End of Flashback-

As I stared out of the window,another pull from Bella brought me out of my reverie.I wasn't even going after her,and she was thinking about me,of her own free will. I was faily certain that she had begun to block me out of her mind,unless of course I was having my way with was she thinking? Probably how much she hated me,and how much she wished I would dissapear. For some reason,that thought...hurt.

I'd been watching her from the sidelines for quite sometime . She was so peculiar,in the most irresistable way. She was shy and reserved,yet when she was with Edward and close friends she was so animated and carefree. I feel the need to be near her all of time,to be held by her, to laugh, and to...love. To love whom or what I don't know. Just to love...

"Vincent." I turned my head just in time to see Franco beside my bed. "It's time. Father said it's now or never,Vince you have to make a choice...he's not ready to leave just yet but he wants to know if your going. I know you don't agree with this...but please just come,please brother..."

"There is way that I am going back to Volterra,especially not to try and overthrow those scumNo! no . And has father told anyone what he is doing with those kids? He's been so secretive, I just want to know! Is he going to turn them? They're just kids Franco! Just like us when we were taken from mother and father! How could he?"

I felt my brother's arms wrap around me and I struggled free of his embrace. For two years now a group of human children have been living in our home. And for two years I've lived in fear. When he brought them here,father simply told us not to worry,that they would not be harmed and that he had their best interests at heart. We didn't speak to them,we didn't even see them much as mostly stayed in the eastern wing of our mancine which we rarely used. Anna was with them often and never spoke to us about them. I remember how livid we were when they arrived. Franco was annoyed and confused, Dahlia was worried, and I was appaled. We pleaded with him to let them go, or to simply explain why they were here. All we know to this day is what to do when we're around them and to keep them hidden.

"I need to know Franc,I have to know why they're here." I said,standing to my feet.

"And so do I brother, but I think your biggest issue right now is what your going to tell him, he's not going to take your rejection well."

"Then so be it." I spat as I exited the room leaving my brother's voice echoing behind me...

"Good luck brother.."

Chapter 14 - Refusal

"Son..please sit down."

I sat down on the chair that was the furthest away from him. He was nervous and I could tell.

"I suppose you already know why I want to speak to -"

"Theres no need for the build up Father, I already know what you want. My answer is no. I am not going to Volterra with you, I agreed to seduce Bella as a way to have some black mail on the Cullens, but I refuse to fight the Volturi. I want nothing to do with them, or Volterra. Let them rule father ! Let them! As long as they stay away from me and my family, It doesn't matter to me what they do !"

"Vincent,it's not so simple. We're not just going there to fight, we're going there to win. To overthrow them completely. Anna and myself have been planning this for a very very long time, before we ever met you."

"Why? Why do you want to do it? I didn't take you for a man who was power hungry or suicidal..."

"It's time I told you a few things son. When your mother and I went to live with them,it wasn't out of boredom with the rest of the world. Yes, we'd seen enough of it to satisfy ourselves for a century or so, but it was more...personal. Anna and myself used to be nomads, we used to feed on humans, until we met Carlisle. He showed us that we could regain a part of our humanity we thought was lost forever. We lives with him and Esmee for a time,and set of on our own again to find a place we'd like to settle down in. We were passing through Alaska when we meet two other vampires, Hector and Elaine. They were clearly not nomads, and clearly had not settled down in the area either. We were going to ignore them at first, but they came up to us just seemingly interested in our golden colored eyes. We explained our diet to them, and they were shocked as most of our kind are, but more than that they were happy. The first time I looked at them I hadn't noticed it, their eyes were not crimson,or black. They were golden also. I suppose being around the Cullens had caused me to see this as normal. To make a long story short we settled into the area together and became great friends."

" I don't see what this has to do with anything..""Let me finish, son."

Vincent flipped his black hair back and sighed with a look of contempt as he said " Very well then."

"Elaine is Aro's sister, his true blood sister. They were turned at the same time but went off seperately. More accurately, Aro abandoned her. After their three days of burning were over she never saw him again. After many,many, centuries when the Volturi had overthrown the Romanians, she finally was able to send word to him, reaching out, trying to reconnect. He responded to her letter with one of his own, saying she was not of any use to him, and his home was in Volterra with his new family,which she was not a part of. He also said that is she ever set foot there,he would show no mercy. It was very bizarre behavior, even for Aro, as Elaine had done no wrong..it seems he blames her for what happened to them both, though she had no idea was enraged, he wasn't going to allow anyone to threaten his mate. One night he left, while Elaine was out hunting, only telling me of his plan to go and handle things with Aro. I told him he should stay, and that he would only cause more trouble or get himself killed. He refused. So I went with him, leaving your mother in a fit of hysetria."

Vincent started at his father with eyes slightly less full of contempt, and filled with mild ineterest. So he had stood up to the Volturi once before huh? He liked the sound of that.

"When we arrived Aro was the one to greet us,he listened intently as Hector pleaded with him to stop holding a grudge against his sister for no reason, and as he told him to never, ever threaten her again, or he'd regret it. Aro with once glance at Jane who had occompanied him, silenced Hector and ..."

"I can guess the rest.."

"No Vincent, you can't. Instead of avenging my old and loyal friend, I allowed Aro to threaten me and my wife into living with them as prisoners, while he kept his own sister in a cell beneath the chamber. I was a coward Vincenet, you were right to say that. I am not going to Volterra for myself, I am going to right a very old wrong,to fianlly avenge my friends and pay for my sin. I hope to defeat them Vincent, so that you and your brother and sister and mother can Rule there, with a beautiful new law. But I, I hope to be defeated or put in that cell Elaine still resides in to this very day."

With a look of shock, horror, disgust, and pity, Vincent rushed to his father's side and emraced him. He'd had no idea this has been why his father had been on pins and needles for so long.

"Father, those, those chidlren,what do they have to do with this?"

Fredrick sighed and pulled Vincent from their embrace to look into his eyes, he was gentle then, fragile looking he thought, but still very very trapped in the hell of his own wrong deeds.

"They're not children,well not 're fairies, ana rmy I've been training to help us in battle."

"...F..fairies?"

A/N. It's been a long time since I've done anything with this story and I hope someone enjoys the update. I wanted to redo this story from scratch as there are plot holes and a lot of content that should be added. But I'm just going to try and make it better fron this point on. If there is any confusion with anything feel free to ask me questions. Inspiration on adding Fairies to the story comes from THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS series by CASSANDRA CLARE which I HIGHLY reccomend that everyone read. Twilight characters are as always belonging to Stephanie Meyer and the Vincent clan belongs to me.

Chapter fourteen

Part One.

New Classes.

BPOV

On Monday morning I was still reeling from everything that had been transpiring between Edward, Jacob and myself. I hadn't seen or spoken to either of them since they both jumpedo out of my bedroom window the other day and I was a combination or concerned and hurt. The drive to school was as usual, short and rainy. When I arrived in the parking lot Edward was standing next to his Volvo without his siblings, smiling at me, and I almost forgot I was behind the wheel of a car. When I parked my truck next to his Volvo he immediately opened my door and helped me out of the truck's cab.

"Hello." He said excitedly.

"Uh, Hello,good of you to talk to me today."

"You must be wondering why I haven't spoken to you since the other day. I was trying to give you some space, some time to absorb what you...witnessed."

" It may have been helpful just to have an explanation, which I do plan on getting." I said smugly. I had been upset with him, but now being in his company I couldn't help but to lighten up.

He smiled at me and led the way into the school's entrance,which seemed particulary crowded today.

"What's going on?" I asked , startled.

It seemed that every student was in the lobby of the school just standing around,while the teachers huddled amongst themselves somewhat frantic, whispering something about classes and changing.

"Seems like we're switching classes early this year, but I have no idea why.." Edward said, confused.

"Yupp! We sure are, I hope we all have some classes together !" Said a high pitched voice with such excitement I jumped backwards.

"Oh, Sorry to startle you Bella!"

"That's alright Alice."

"Hey Darlin, why'd you run off so suddenly?"

"Yeah sis, me and Jazz could barely keep up, all we saw was the top of your head and spiky black hair running over here."

"Oh, I'm sorry Jasper! " Alice said as she pecked him delicately on the check.

"What about me? Where's my kiss?" Boomed Emmett, giving Alice a "look" that meant he thought he was next.

"Where's your wife? She should be the one to kiss you." Said Edward, looking disgruntled.

"Rose refused to follow us becuse of, well.."

"Me." I said, knowing from the look on his face that she obviously didn't want to be around me.

Alice cleared her throat dramatically, and said "Edward, your being rude, aren't you going to introduce Emmett and Jasper to Bella?"

"Oh, yes sorry..Bella,these are my brothers, Emmet and Jasper."

"Nice to meet you Bella." said Jasper with a slight southern drawl that was almost barely detectable.

"Yeah, We've heard a lot about you, and by a lot I mean A LOT. Haha,nice to finally talk to you !" Emmett practically yelled.

Edward glared at him, but I sensed he was somehow pleased that I had met more of his family.

"Nice to meet you guys too." I replied,smiling warmly at them both and at Alice who's smile was gleeful and contagious.

"Attention ! Everyone ! Please stop talkinng!" Mr. Holmes's voice was cleary audible over the chatter of the students.

"Oh boy, time to mix it up!" Said Emmett cheerfully.

"Emmett,this is not that big of a deal, we're just switching classes..." Said Jasper who seemed slightly less enthusiastic about this prospect then his brother did.

"Maybe I'll get a class with Bella though, did you think of that?" He nudged me with his elbow smirking like a child. I couldn't help but to laugh a little.

"We are switching classes early this year due to the fact that we are changing our ciriculum. You will recieve full credit for the classes you have been in thus far and will pass them, as long as you were passing in class, with no final exam required unless you were failing. You can find your new schedules in your lockers. Classes will start 20 minutes later then usual today due to this change. Sorry if there is any confusion with this change, it was the schoolboard's descision, not mine, so please don't be upset with me. If you have any questions please come see me or one of your lovely teachers, or office personell and we will answer them. I suggest you all go get and look over your new schedules now quickly, but calmly, please. "

Students started to leave the lobby together in bunches. The chattering began again as they did so, with some angry protests about the change, some happy, and others neutral.

"Well let's get going." Edward said as he led the way to the hall were, coincidentally, all of our lockers were. Why hadn't I notcied this before? Maybe because the Cullens never used their lockers..

We all got our schedules and huddled up at the end of the hallway to see if we had any classes together.

It turned out that Edward and I had all but one class together and Alice had three of them with us. Jasper had one with us, Rosalie one, and Emmett, two. The one class we all had in common was first hour History. We walked together to our classroom, and I was met with looks of awe as the students that passed by us saw I was walking with the Cullens. Some glared, some had their mouths open ,and some gasped auidably. I saw my group of friends going into the same classroom we were, and they too made no secret of their surprise.

"Hey Pete,Amy, Julie, Tim, Cindy."

"Hey Bella." Said Peter, the least startled by my entering the classroom with the Cullens.

_This should be interesting _, I thought to myself.

Ms. Redford wasn't in the room yet and it seemed there were no assigned seats so we all found seats together in the middle of the classroom, a place I'd rarely sat in by myself. We all, meaning my friends from the beginning of the year and my new found friends in Edward and his family. My friends, it was going to be difficult to think of them that way. Not that they weren't all extremely nice and friendly, well, minus Rosalie, she hadn't spoken to me yet, but they were still intimidating, they were so far out of my league, especially Edward . We were all sort of staring at each other, trying to make small talk, while the rest of the class stared at all of us,whispering.

Yeah, definately inetersting.

Thanlfully the stares and whispers seized as Ms. Redford made her entrance into the room and instructed us to take out our notebooks and get ready to recieve new was going to be strict, that was clear. As we did so I heard a pair of footsteps coming down the hallway, loud and pronoucned. I turned to my side to see Edward frowning, giving a look to Alice who looked equally footseps grew louder and as they neared our classroom door, Edward angeled himself in his seat closer to me with his arm outstretched across our desk in front of me. I gave him a confused look then looked around to see that the whole class was staring towards the door. I followed their eyes and met another pair of eyes that I had tried to forget about...

Vincent Mascio was standing in the doorway. He immediately looked away from me and locked eyes with Edward. Edward made a low growling noise, so low I wasn't sure if I was imagining the sound or , who was sitting next to him, put his hand on his brother's shoulder but never took his gaze away from Vincent.

" Mr. Mascio, if you are going to be late to my class you had better have a good reason, not to mention aren't you in the advanced program?"

Vincent smiled at the teacher, not friendly , and not rudely either, but in some other way that made her shift her stance slightly.

"Yes,I was. My brother and sister too. But, I suppose this new "ciriculim", he air quoted the word, has no advanced program. So I'll be joining the mainstream members of Forks High for class, once again."

Ms. Redford looked suspicious, but didn't question him further. She directed him towards a seat on the far left side of the classroom next to Cameron James, the star of the basketball team. Cameron nodded at him and Vincent flashed him a brilliant, disturbing smile. I swear I saw Cameron shudder, ever so slightly.

Part two.

The rest of that class went on silently,with every Cullen sitting rigidly in their seats, wearing the same frown on their the bell rang Vincent was somehow the first one to the door, glancing behind him only to smirk at the girl who was standing there, leaving her swooning openly.

He then gave one more look toward Edward,winked, and strode out of the room.

Edward made a gagging sound and shook his head whispered something to Emmett and Jasper and they left the room along with Rosalie and Alice.

"Um..Edward..what was that? "

"Nothing... that guy,Vincent..he's bad news."

"Why's that?"

Edward looked at me intently and his eyes seemed to reach deep into me, I was afraid he would see something there, fear.

"Just trust me Bella, okay? Stay away from him, if he ever tries to talk to you,tell me please. He is not someone you should even be friendly to. I'll explain more after school,we've got to get to our next class."

I followed Edward out of the room to second hour English. By the end of the day I had last hour French, my only class without Edward or any of the Cullens. Only Amy and Cindy had that class with me. I took a seat off to the side of the room by the windows and close to the back. Amy and Cindy were seated directly in front of me, so I felt somewhat not alone. I waited as the bell rang for the teacher to come into the room. Instead I was shocked as _he _appeared again. He waltzed over to the empty seat beside me and sat down gracefully,but with held his head up high, his shoulders back with his ink black hair falling around his face. He tapped his plae fingers on the desk impatiently. He looked over at me and I instantly looked away, out the window. In front of me Amy and Cindy had turned around in their seats almost completely.

I felt him staring at me, I felt his prescence strong and irritably so. The nightmares I had about this boy, the random feelings, the intense depression after the disturbing thoughts and images all came flooding into my memory. I was still unable to tell anyone about what was happening to me,and it all happened so fast and then stopped happening, it was like a dream...or really, a nightmare. Every other night seemed to be when the feelings and thoughts came to me, and I was always alone when it happened. I wondered,almost distantly if sitting here next to him would cause them to happen again.

"Bella." his voice was like ice, ice laced with fire. It was cold and eerie yet demanding and confident. I turned to face him and was suprised to see that only his face faltered somewhat from the overall impression that he gave off.

His eyes were golden like the Cullens' eyes and it only now hit me that Vincent must too be a vampire. Despite the similarity in color however,his eyes very different. They seemed to be set deeply into his face, and they gleamed unnaturally around the irisis'. He was lean, like Edward, but slightly more muscular. His face was very angular and all of his features in perfect symmetry. His red lip ring stood out brutally against his paler than normal skin. Why had I not realized before that he was not human?

But this was not why his face faltered. It faltered because he looked at me with such genuine fear that I sat back in my seat so far, I almost fell out. Fear was the last thing I'd expect to see on the face of the person who was haunting my sleep, and my time awake. He made a sound almost like a gasp as I regained my composure and sat correctly in my seat.

"Excuse me..I didn't mean to startle you."

I couldn't say anything, what could I say? Who are you, what do you want from me, why are you in my nightmares? What are you? No, not really. So I said nothing.

He still stared at me, even when the teacher had assigned the classwork for the day and said that it was to be an individual assignment. Even after she told him to concentrate on his work and not my own. Even as the bell was ringing. As I got up to leave the room I felt a hand,ice cold, touch my wrist. Vincent hadn't moved from his seat. I was trembling,and not fromt he temperature of his hand.

"Wh, what d do you wantt?" I managed to choke out in barely a whisper.

"I want a lot of things 't the question be, What do I want from you?"

I just stared back at him, confused and afraid.

"I just want to know you, I don't know why-"

He stopped speaking all at once and let go of my wrist abruptly. He sprang up out of his chair and left the room without so much as a glance back to me.

I took a huge breath and steadied myself by grasping the edge of the desk. Where was Ms. Redford? I noticed suddenly that she was nowhere to be seen. When had she left the room? I felt tears rise up under my eye lids and my body get heavy all at once. In the next moment Edward appeared at the door and was then instantly by my side. Everything I was thiking and feeling moments before was gone.

"Bella, I know Vincent has this class, Alice saw that. Did he speak to you, did he do anything to you? I will find him and -"he said without preamble.

"No Edward, he didn't."

Wow, what was I saying? Why was I lying to Edward? And why had all of those thoughts and feelings gone at the sight of him? I already knew that I wasn't able to tell anyone about Vincent, it wasn't possible, if I opened my mouth to do it, it instantly shut and new thoughts came to mind.I didn't know I would lie to Edward also.

He eyed me cautiously."Are you sure, Bella you know you can trust me and tell me anything right?"

"Yes Edward I'm sure and I do know that." I smiled warmly at him and took his hand.

He gave me a half smile, still obvoisly not convinced enough that I was alright. When we went to the parking lot the Cullens were waiting for Edward at his Volvo. We walked over to meet them and Edward told them he'd be coming over my house today so Emmett could drive the Volvo home. Emmett was extremely pleased by this news. We said goodbye to everyone but Rosalie who was already seated in the car staring into a mirror, and it's reflection I could see her glaring at me.

I let Edward drive the truck home and when we pulled up I notcied another car in ther driveway and it wasn't the cruiser. For a few seconds I silently panicked, thinking it had to be _him_. But thankfully the driver's side door opened and out stepped my best friend.

Chapter 15

More secrets.

JPOV

I was on my patrol ,taking a usual detour around the Macio compound as I called it, and something caught my eye.

I could see The leech called Vincent straring out of his window with someone behind him shouting. I guessed it was his sister Dahlia by the high pitched sound of it . I only knew their names because of the little pact they'd made with Sam. Well more like their father had made the pact. We didn't have the same original treaty that we had with them as we did witht he Cullens, so in return for them not hunting on our lands we wouldn't tell the Cullens what I'd seen a year ago. I'd seen human kids on their land and immidiately went to Sam. Sam was livid and confronted Fredrick, the father of the clan who swore to him that it wasn't what it looked like.

He said that they were not really human beings, and not to be fooled by their appearence. He said a promise kept him from being able o reveal their identity but that we had nothing to worry about. However, he didn't want the Cullens to know about them in fear they'd too take things the wrong way. Sam hesitantly agreed to this with the condition that we'd patrol around their land whenever we liked to and if we saw one suspicious thing we'd run our mouths to Carlisle Cullen immediately. Fredrick agreed so that was that.

I secretly,or well not too secretly, thought that Sam was stupid for keeping a secret for them and that his main reason for doing it was because he was scared crapless by Vincent. He was there when the pact was made, and Sam kept giving him odd looks and stayed close to the members of the pack who'd gone in wolf form. Chicken,I'd thought, glad he coudln't hear my thoughts while he was human.

I sighed, a good ol bloodsucker argument. Nothing too interesting. I made my way back to La Push and shifted behind my house. I stoped in for some fresh clothes and food and decided it was time to see Bella again, I knew she'd be a little upset with me. I was afraid of seeing her somehwat because of everything she found out about me, and somewhat because of her leech boyfriend.

As I drove my rabbit to her house I tired to shake the image of Edward's face from my mind. That didn't work too well because I wanted to punch him square in his pale, frozen face. I pulled into her drieway guessing she still wasn't home from school yet since her truck wasn't there ( Yeah I ditch school sometimes, who doesn't?) and waited. About ten minutes later I heard the rumble of her truck approaching and glanced out my reaerview mirror to see Cullen pulling into the driveway with Bella in the passnger seat. _Oh great._

I stepped out and walked over to the passnger door to open it for Bella, but Edward beat me there with his Vampire speed.

"Show off." I glared at him.

"Just opening the door for my girlfriend,Jacob." he hissed through clenched perfect teeth.

"Uhm,Ew. Leech, it's a waste of time trying to impress me so, cut the smiley crap."

"Jacob!" Bella repremanded, visabbly annoyed.

"That's who I'm here to see, not you bloodsucker." I spat at him as I walked over to Bella and hugged her. Edward made a low growling noise and I just chuckled.

"Hey Bells, sorry for my kinda MIA status."

"It's okay.." She shifted nervously and I couldn't tell if she was nervous about our little gathering, or something else.

"Let's go inside, it looks like it's going to rain again today."

"Not used to it yet are ya Bells?"

"Nope." she said and she popped the p.

Once inside, I felt oddly like I had the other day when we were are sitting in these exact same spots with much the same looks on our faces.

"Well Jacob, what brings you here this afternoon to interrupt our peace and quiet?"

"Dude, I'm here to see my best friend, get over yourself. Last time I checked this wasn't your house. So I'm thinking, that's not your question to ask."

"Guys,seriously, stop it. I can't handle this banter ,not today." Bella sighed, she did look kind of off,something wasn't exactly right with her. Edward seemed to pick up on this and he shook his head atme as if to say 'truce for now'. I nodded back and relaxed myself in my seat.

"Are you two hungry?" It was Edward, apparently trying to start the conversation over with sucking up-ness. If he wanted to brown nose, it'd be okay to get some free food out of it, yeah?

"Yeah dude, I am. How bout you Bells?"

"Uhm, a little."

"I'll order you a pizza then, how's that sound?" He smiled at Bella and I saw her blush. Ew,Ew,Ew.

"Phone's in the kitchen ." I said, trying to get a moment alone with Bella.

"That's alright I've got my cell right here,"he said pulling out a tiny silver high tech looking cell phone.

"Oh, sure,sure."

After Edward ordered the pizza,yeah a vampire ordering pizza is kind of odd to wittness, Bella broke the silence first.

"Edward, the other day when you bother jumped out of my window, how did you know Charlie was almost home? Did you hear him?"

Huh, that was a good question, I mean vampire and werewolf hearing is great and way beyond average but I hadn't heard his car...

"Uhm, I, yes you cuold say I heard him."

"Could say?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Hiding something are we?" I laughed. I was not going to make a secret of the fact that I wanted him to mess up, for Bella to dump him. I wasn't jealous, but for crying out loud, he is vampire!

"I read minds...except for yours Bella, I can't read you at all. Alice has visions,and Jasper can influence emotions."

"Yeah right Cullen, what am I thinking?"

"You want to punch me in the face, also your really hungry and waiting on that pizza. "

"Good guess."

"No Jake, I believe him, it would make sense. The way you always seem to just know things.."

"Your not weirded out by that Bella? That your boyfriend is a mind reader with a telepathic sister and creppy emotion giving brother? You've really changed haven't you?"

"Jake, shut up. Shut up."

She looked at me then, cold and pleading. I don't what is was that caused it, but for some reason with that look inher eyes, Vincent's face came into my mind. I shook his face from my mind and decided maybe the sarcasm really was not a good idea.

"Sorry."

She didn't say anything, she just held Edward's hand. He looked worried, but said nothing. So the akward silence was again getting to me when the doorbell rang and Edward went to greet the pizza guy. I walked over to where Bella was sitting. She smiled at me and started to look more like herself then she had moments before.

"Sorry about that , I'm just in a bad mood."she said with sincerity.

"It's okay, I was being a jerk."

"Your right you were." Edward snapped as he sat the pizza down on the coffee table.

"Despite that I think I should give you two some time alone, as friends. I have something I need to tend to with my family, Alice just texted me. So, I'll call you later Bella?"

"Oh, sure. Thanks for the pizza too. Sorry you have to go.." Bella's shoulder hunched a little, she was clearly disappointed.

"Me too,but I will call you later I promise."

I watched as he kissed her on the lips, and almost ran away screaming.

He made his way to the door and almost reached it when he caleld my name.

"Be right back" I said to Bella.

At the door his fringers lingered on the handle and he was frowning.

"Something I can help you with?"

"Yes, actaully. I'm worried about Bella, she doesn't seem herself today..I don't want to leave her but I need to...look into something. Please make sure she's alright and if you can find out anything at all, if something happened to her, or even if she's sick,call me please...here's my number."

He handed me a peice of paper with numbers on it, fancy numbers. I stuck it into my jeans pocket, confused.

"Yeah, I'll let you know. She's safe with me though, no need to worry." I didn't get why he was freaking out so bad, she looked upset, but Bella did have mood swings.

"I know." was all he said as he opened the door and started to run.

"Thanks for the pizza!" I called out after him. He's a vamp, I knew he could hear me.

Part two.

"So Bells, your really not freaked by all that mind reading stuff?"

I was on my third slice of pizza, she had barely finished her first.

"No, I'm really not Jake. Edward's a vampire, your a werewolf, or shape shifter. He can read minds...I think that's the least shocking of those facts, don't you?"

"I guess. Whatever floats your boat. I know you want us to be friends but It's gonna be hard."

"I know."

"Are you okay Bella? I mean are you feeling well? You don't look like yourself and your acting kind of down."

As I said this Bella quickly glanced down at her hands and shook her head as if to clear away something from her thoughts. She blinked her eyes a few times then seemed to completely snap out of whatever trance she was in.

"I'm fine. Really, I just didn't get a good sleep last night, I had a nightmare."

As much as I didn't believe that obvious lie, she was a terrible liar, I tried to play along. At first.

"Maybe I'll make you a dream catcher. Bad dreams aren't cool."

"Nope." She said quietly.

"So what happened?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Uhm, in the nightmare..?"

"Yeah.."

"It was kind of short and I only remember gimples of it, so I can't really say what happened for sure. Sorry."

Bella rested her chin on her hand and looked at me with eyes that were a little concerned, and confused. I decided not to press the issue after that and just try and get her to have some fun. Maybe after a night of best friend time with someone as charming as myself, she'd open up to me about whatever was going on.

I convinced her to come with me to the reservation for a little bit of Quiluitte fun.

First on my list of things to do : Cliff Diving,for amatuers. Second: Bon Fire at my place with my pack.

Surprisingly, she loved the cliff diving. She wanted to jump again and again. She looked to free and happy. I was sure whatever had been bothering her, that the cliff diving had really helped her to relax and relieve some stress.

She had brought a change of clothes so when we went to my house,we both changed and waited for my dad and the rest of my pack in the back yard. She helped me get a fire going and soon after that the pack arrived, all of them, in a loud and wild way.

"Bella, this is the rest of my pack. " I named them all off to her and she nodded and waved and said shy hellos.

"Nice to meet all of you. Jacob has told me -"

"He wasn't supposed to tell you anything about us, actually. " Oh no,Paul, always with the attitude.

"Paul, we don't treat our family rudely,Bella is a friend of Jacob's and she's now a friend of ours. You'll do well to remember that." Good ol Sam, in Alpha mode even in human form.

Paul shrugged and laughed, his way of getting out of trouble. "Yeah, your right. Besides, she knows about the vamps anyway."

"Yeah I do." Bella's tone was defensive. " And they have name's you know."

"Easy now, we know their names. Paul here is just trying to cause to drama to the evening."

I was grateful to see my dad at the head of the circle we were all now forming around the fire.

"Now, it's time for some history lessons."

My dad began to talk about legends, and our shape shifting ancestors,everybody was enthralled by the stories, even Bella. About an hour went by and I started to smell the strangest smell. That sweet, unnatural vampire smell. The smell of life,frozen life . Which could only mean one of two things thing.

Either the vampires who weren't apart of the treaty were here, or there were nomads in the area who didn't know about us being shape shifters.

The others must have smelled it too because my dad stopped talking and everyone was standing except Bella,who I pulled to her feet and told to stand behind me.

"There's a vampire here" I whispered.

Sam had already shifted with Paul and Embry on his flanks, with Quil close beind.

In between two trees at the edge of the diveway, someone stepped out of the shadows.

Someone with black hair, a chalk white face, and a look of arrogance I was about to knock off his face.

Chapter 16

Unexpected

VPOV

part one.

After my father told me about the fairie children whom he planned to have help in the attack he was planning to overthrow the Volturi,I left. Without saying a word to him.

I ran and ran, frustrated and ..hopeless. I got there before realizing where I was, the Reservation.

The tribe and my family had our own treaty, not like the one they had with the Cullens.

We didn't hunt on their land, and they didn't snitch us out, but we were allowed on their land. If we wanted to talk to them or we were passing through we could, but that was it.

We weren't exactly bffs but we had fought off nomads together and kept our end of town free from outside danger. I was sure also, that one of councilmens sons had seen glimpses of the fairie children, and that he'd reported it back to his pack. I gues though ,that they'd talked to my father and he'd told them what he was planning and since the only ones in danger would be the ones who actually went to Volterra to fight, they weren't concerned.

I was close to where they were, I could smell them and knew they'd probably smell me too. I was standing behind two trees, just going to see whatever they might be doing, maybe listen in on their conversations, when I smelled it. Another scent. Not wolf, human.

She was here.

I stepped out of the trees and walked slowly to where they were having a bonfire, three of them had shifted and as I walked down to the fire they moved around me,on gaurd. I tried not to seem shocked or concerned with her presence. She was obscured by view slightly by the councilmens son who gave me a look that said he's rip off my head if I got near her.

I chuckled and walked over to Billy,the councilmen I was most familiar with.

" What brings you here tonight , Vincent? "

" Fight with my father, you could say I'm out running away from home, only I forgot my back pack with clothes and iphone. "

He didn't seem amused.

" Actually, I did have a fight with my father, I was just running and came here, but now I find I do need to speak with you about something privately. "


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Hey anyone who reads this. I'm new here, I didn't know how to upload chapter by chapter and I have my story saved as one document which is why I have about 16 chapters showing as one. Trying to get some reviews/feedback on it, so please read and review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Part One of Chapter Sixteen continued. **

(VPOV)

"A fight? What about..Vincent?"

"Like I said, privately, please. No offense to your pack I'm just sensitive. Don't want them to see me down and distraught."

The whole pack seemed to snarl at me at once...which was I must admit a little disturbing. They didn't scare me though, not me.

"Yeah right. We're not letting you anywhere near him alone." said the boy with the muscles and immature face. Jacob, his son.

" It's alright guys, I've been alone with them before, we have a treaty remember? If he does anything fishy you'll have free rain to kick his.."

"Are you crazy? Billy, no you can't!"

Oh no,I was so consumed by not staring at her that I forgot to make sure my powers were still in tact and she'd be tongue tied. I shivered, however impossible that is. She couldn't reveal what was going on, not to them, not yet.

"Bella ? How do you even know who this guy is?"

"We go to school together Jake. He's in class with me! And-!"

" And what? Bella, Bella are you okay?"

I snapped out of my trance and re enabled so to speak my power on her ability to speak of me. She couldn't , again.

"Yeah...I just.. I'm sorry I think I'm tired, I don't know what I was saying just now.."

While Jacob was prodding Bella about her well being, the pack agreed to give Billy and I some space, but they'd be watching, they'd said. As if they'd even needed to say that.

"Alright now, what is it?"

" My father.. he's .. he's going to be getting himself into some trouble. I thought maybe you could talk to him, make him see that he doesn't need to go to Volterra."

"You mean that place where the vampire leaders are? Why is he going there? Aren't they kind of crazy?

"You could say that...I don't know if he's told you about the creatures he brought into our home-"

"The fairie children? Yes, he said that they were seeking refuge from their Queen, and he was helping them, trying to find them a new place to go but that they liked him, and wanted to help him in some of his own endeavors. "

"Endeavors? He plans to overthrow the most murderous vampires alive and exact revenge on them for an old friend he let down years and years ago. He wants my help, and my siblings'. He wants to risk all our lives."

"Hmm, sounds to me like he's trying to be heroic, but he could just be dumb, and if he lost against them.."

"They would end us all. My whole family."

Part Two.

(Bpov)

When the room stopped spinning I relaized immediately where I was. Jacob's living room. The old couch, the Tv with the antennas. The radio playing quietly in the backround. It sounded like classic rock. I lifted my head up, slowly and thought that I was alone. What just happened?

I remembered being around the bon fire, Billy telling the tribe's most secret stories,and then someone else came up to us...

All at once I remembered what happened. His face, my ability to actually speak about him, and then it slowly being tken away. Me feeling tongue tied, and completely lost.

Th tears started to spring from my eyes, and just then Jacob came around the corner, from the kitchen with a glass of water in his hand. He looked at me and set the cup down on the coffee table, his face serious and pondering.

"Bella, enough,you have to tell me what's going on. I know something is going on , what is it?"

I wanted to to tell him that what was going on so badly, and that they guy causing it was talking to his father right now.

But when I opened my mouth I made a sound like a squeek, cleared my thraot and said..

" If I could I would,Jacob. I just literally can't. I don't know why but I can't say anythin- "

I jerked back as if the thought of mentioning his name had the power to physically choke me.

"Your acting really weird. I know this isn't some "girl thing" and that it's not just normal life stress. Someone is doing something to you,aren't they?"

I just stared at him,he was relentless, he'd keep guessing till he found out eventually. But how could he guess this? 

"Come on Bells, we need to go see Edward,I can't believe I'm saying this. But, I think maybe he can help. You know what I think too? I think that Vampire outside has somethin to do with this...and if he does, God help him."

I made no movement or sound at Jacob's words, I just Stood up and headed for the door.

Outside the pack was all huddled together, some in wolf form, some in human form. But they all looked the same somehow. Serious and feral. I could see the outlines of Vincent and Billy up by the head of the driveway, but couldn't hear what they were talking about, which was okay by me.

Jake went over to Seth, the youngest pack member who was still in human form, whispered something and then then opened the door of the truck for me and started the engine.

As we started down the drive both Billy and Vincent looked in our direction

.

Billy had a questioning,serious look on his face, and Vincent looked blank. They stepped out of the way when we got close but Billy motioned for Jake to roll the window down,and he did. Vincent stepped further away and got closer to the trees and the shadows.

I looked away immediately, and tried not to shake.

"Taking Bella home, son?"

"Yeah, in a bit. We have somebody we need to talk to..right now."

"Who might that be?" 

"Oh, just Edward Cullen."

As Billy's eyes widened in what I assumed was confusion out of the corner of my eye I saw Vincent wince.

Jake rolled the window up, nodded at his father, and slammed his foot down on the gas.

**Let me know what you think readers ! I need readers, and reviewers and maybe even a beta so please give me some feedback somebody !**

**Chapter Seventeen, coming soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 17**

**The Beginning of the war.**

(epov) 

I was so restless. Furthermore I was dumbfounded.

Though it made sense. The existance of my kind, of Jacob's kind, couldn't be the only kind so unlikely to be so. Fairy tale beings. Ancient spooky stories. There had to be more of us out there. And, apparently there were.

When I arrived home Carlisle wasted no time about going into the dteails of his meeting with Fredrick Mascio earlier in the morning. I was stunned. Fredrick wanted Carlisle to help him do something he wouldn't say what that something was, only that it involved fairie children (the children we all thought were human), and going out of the country for a while. Not vague at all Mr. Mascio.

And not a complete and total shock either.

Emmett's hysetrcis brought me back in the moment and into the heated debate my family was now having.

"I'm telling you guys, this is so fishy! But so cool! Fairies? Man who even knew they _really_ exist ? Dad, whatever Mr. Mascio is workin on we have to help him."

This earned him a slap on the face from his wife, Rosalie. One of her good points, when Emmett got out of line, as Emmett often did, she slapped him.

I chuckled.

"Not funny man.." Emmett mumbled under his breath.

"Emmett, think rationally. Even if he is telling the truth about the fairie children, what has that got to do with us? And leaving the country? Why? And why didn't he give you more information Carlisle?"

"He said he had to know he could trust me first. If not, and he told me, and I said something to the wrong person, he'd have worked so hard and so long for nothing."

"Meaning,it would be dangerous for soemone to know who would tell others. " Alice chimmed in.

"Meaning,he would most likely be risking his life. Which probably means-" 

"The Volturi." I cut Jasper off just as the doorbell rang.

I smelled her scent before seeing her, as well as Jacob's wolfy scent.

"I'll get that." I said before Alice or Emmet had the chance to beat me to the door.

When I opened the door, Jacob was there with Bella at his side, looking way too

serious and possibly angry. Not that he normally looked care free or anything, just that when Jacob was angry, in my experience with him so far, there was a pretty big reason.

"We need to talk, now."

"Okay, are you okay Bella? What's going on?"

"Uhm,I'm fine. "

"Outside Cullen, no offense no one else needs to be in our business, and I know how you Cullens like to be in the know."

"Jacob you don't have to be rude."

"It's alright Bella,Jacob's childishness doesn't bother me." 

I walked outside, closed the door behind me and led the both of them to my car.

Jacob was hesitant to get in at first,but he finally got into the backseat and Bella into the passenger seat.

There was akward eerie silence for a good while and then he finally spoke.

"Look, it's about that Vincent dude,and Bella. I think he's got something to do with Bella's mood lately."

I had to stifle a snarl when he said his name.

"Why would you think that Jacob?"

"It's a hunch. Not to mention when he came and showed up at our bonfire tonight Bella freaked out, then all of a sudden she couldn't seem to remember she was saying anything about him at all. I know you vamps, and I know you have creepy Vincent, even thought he can be okay sometimes is a total nut."

"He'd better hope he's not the reason for making Bella upset. If he likes his life. It's sort of a coincidence you mention him though. My father just met with his father this morning. He asked my father to help him with something, though he wouldn't say what. Only that it involved...well something or some beings,and leaving the country."

"Beings?" Bella spoke for the first time.

"Fairies?"

"Actually, yes. How did you -"

"Look my pack has known about them for a while. swore he was not doing anything harmful to them and that they were not a threat to us. He said he helped them escape their queen and they want to help him with his and i quote "endeavors"."

"We thought they were children this whole time, human children. We said nothing because we knew if they even thought about harming them the Volturi would find out and though Vincent and his brother and sister are not the nicest of our kind, Fredrick and Anna would never harm humans, and never harm any children. But he never gave us real answers."

"Now you know a little more than you did before." 

"Yeah..wait did you say he was at your bonfire? Vincent was?"

"He walked in on the middle of it and asked to speak to my father,alone. That's when Bella freaked, she didn't want my dad alone with Vincent, I mean she screamed at him not to talk to him alone." 

"Did he?"

"Yeah, they were talking when we left. Bella sort of...fainted after her outburst .She woke up on my couch and she just looked..."

"Scared, I looked scared Jacob. I am here guys you know that right?"

"Sorry, but you haven't been speaking much. Of course we know your here Bella."

"Sorry Bells."

"It's okay guys, I guess. "

I gave Bella a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, I saw Jacob wincing out of the corner of my eye.

This was never going to be an easy friendship was it?

"Edward..I think there's a connection. The fairie children, your father, Mr. Mascio, Vincent, Bella. Whatever they have planned, whatever he's talking to my father about right now, he wants your family's help. And I think he's using Bella as a way to get to you. He hasn't done it yet, but he will when it benefits him, and his family."

I didn't want to say he could be right, because if he was, we were in for something big. And no doubt that something would include a fight."

"One other thing, we're pretty sure we know where going out of the country involves."

"Where's that?" Bella and Jacob asked at the same time.

"Volterra. Which means the Volturi. Which means, we're all in danger."


End file.
